Ian Machado Garry had to overcome the training camp from hell to book his place in the UFC in 2021.
The Irish Welterweight is now one of the best fighters in the world and missed a narrow of a world title shot when he was first defeated by Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310. He returns to action on Saturday evening in his first main event at UFC City City at fast rising fan favorite Carlos Prates.
Garry started his professional career in Cage Warriors, where a number of UFC champions such as Ilia Topuria and Conor McGregor also cut their teeth. There he won the 170 pound title after one of the most debilitating camps, both emotionally and physically in his entire career.
Ian Machado Garry Divided from his team days for Cage Warriors Title Fight
Before he was the Jet setting UFC star he is now, Ian Machado Garry was a young up-and-comer from Dublin who fights for Cage Warriors Gold. At the end of 2020, when Mason Jones left the Welterweight belt to go to the big show, a tournament was organized to crown a new champion.
Garry's starkracht was clear from the start and it seemed from the start that the bracket was almost set up for him to win the victory. He shot Rostem Akman in two rounds to reach Jack Grant in the final, which took place behind closed doors in York Hall in London.
However, problems emerged during the camp when Garry and his coaching staff fell to Team KF and only came apart for a few days from the fight. Coach Chris Fields, who had trained him from the start of his professional career, rarely spoke about the details in the following years.
“This was not a decision that was made lightly”, a statement from Team KF read in part. “Substantial time and resources were devoted to LAN's training, at a cost price for the club, because he made his amatuer debut a dozen fights ago.
“He reached his world title fight under the custody of his coaches, with the support of his teammates. Team KF draws a line under the business, we will train our focus on training in the future even more champions and help our members achieve their fitness and martial arts goals.”
He initially intended to fight without a corner before he was told by the committee in the UK that he had to involve someone. As a result, he set up in Paul Hughes, who became one of the greatest stars in PFL.
Ian Machado Garry conquer horror injury without a corner to win Cage Warriors Belt
The emotional split of his coaches was not the only hardships that Garry had to overcome. In his documentary 'The Future' from that period, he showed his treatment after tearing a muscle in his knee that forced him from the last part of his camp.
He told cameras that he had to take “about four weeks off, sitting at home on my F – Ingehole for the greatest fight of my life”. His doctor, referred in the documentary if Shay confirmed that it was a 'complete tear' of his PCL, who can take an athlete for up to six months to recover.
With just a few weeks of treatment, however, he insisted on fighting, making a joke that Hill Sprints would be a more difficult physical challenge than his opponent Jack Grant. “I don't withdraw from the greatest fight of my life at the moment because of an injury,” he explained.
“Although it happens – and it happens and something that puts people back – I am of” I am no way to allow that “. As long as I can walk, I can beat Jack Grant, that was my way of thinking. As long as I can stand in front of him and throw a Jab, I can beat Jack Grant with one hand.
“That is my mentality, I can prick Jack Grant for 25 minutes and win the fight if I have to do it.”
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