Ian Garry compares challenge against Makhachev to McGregor's historic victory over Aldo — Jiu-Jitsu Federation, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation

Jiu-Jitsu Federation: While Conor McGregor's career seems to be heading towards the end, another Irish athlete comes forward to try to take the place of the biggest star ever produced by MMA. A native of Dublin (IRL), as well as former UFC champion Ian Machado Garry has lived since the beginning of his career with comparisons to the main name in the history of Irish sport, and, about to face the biggest challenge of his career, he is confident in his ability to repeat the achievements of the compatriot – and even overcome them.

Recently, the athlete of the ‘Chute Boxing Diego Lima’ team was confirmed as the next challenger to the welterweight belt (77 kg), against the Russian champion Islam Makhachev, in the main fight of UFC 330, on August 15 – a challenge that, in case of victory, will bring him closer to achieving the status achieved by his compatriot in the sport. In fact, during a participation in the ‘High Performance’ podcast, Ian Garry drew a parallel between his next engagement in the world's most famous octagon and the moment Conor McGregor made his breakthrough to sporting stardom in 2015.

“My whole career, I've had a lot of expectations, I've had a lot of pressure from the outside, from the fans and from the sport itself to be that star, to live up to the expectations of (being a new) Conor McGregor, being from Dublin. There were many comparisons with Conor, because we are both from Dublin, being from Ireland, we both talk a lot and we do what we say, ”Ian said.

The main similarity, in Garry's view, is in the size of the mission. Just as McGregor faced Aldo – who until then was considered practically unbeatable in the division up to 66 kg - he will face Islam Makhachev, current leader of the UFC weight-for-weight ranking and pointed out by many as the most dominant athlete in the organization today. Confident, the Irishman believes that a win over the Russian champion would eliminate any questioning about his competitive level and definitely place him in the elite of the sport.

“When Conor fought for his first UFC title, he faced the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, who hadn't been defeated for a decade, and he knocked him out in 13 seconds. I can't wait to enter the octagon against Islam and win it, because there will be no doubt that I will have done it against the best. To be the best, you have to beat the best. And my next opponent, at this moment, is considered by everyone in the world as the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, ”he said.

New McGregor?

Despite respecting the legacy written by the compatriot and seeing similarities in the paths traced by both in the octagon, Ian Machado Garry seems willing to trace his own trajectory. If he surprises and beats Islam Makhachev at UFC 330, the young Irish talent will not he will only take the biggest win of his career, but he will also be able to take a decisive step out of Conor McGregor's shadow and write a chapter of his own in the history of MMA.

Follow our social networks and stay tuned to fight world news: X, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and TikTok

The post Ian Garry compares defiance against Makhachev to McGregor's historic victory over Aldo appeared first in Ag. Fight – MMA, UFC, Boxing and More.

Source: AG Fight — read original