Ian Machado Garry: It Would Be...

Speaking to Covers.com, welterweight UFC fighter Ian Machado Garry said:

• It would be a ‘dream come true’ to see Conor McGregor fight live – I don’t care if we share a card
• What Conor McGregor has done for Irish MMA, Ilia Topuria is doing for Spain MMA
• If the UFC want me to fight Sean Brady next – the answer is yes
• I’m in the conversation to fight Jack Della Maddalena for the title next
• Khamzat Chimaev has never fought anyone like me 
• Paddy Pimblett v Ilia Topuria – one of the biggest fights in history

Ian Machado Garry: It would be ‘dream’ to see Conor McGregor fight live, Paddy Pimblett vs Ilia Topuria one of biggest fights in UFC history, I’ll fight Sean Brady next but I’m in talks with Jack Della Maddalena

It would be a ‘dream come true’ to see Conor McGregor fight live – I don’t care if we share a card

I don’t even know if I want to share the bleeding card with the guy [McGregor]. I just want to see the man fight live. That’s where I’m at. I don’t care if we don’t fight the same night. I just want to see him fight live. 

I’ve never been able to see a Conor card; the show, the build up, the hype, everything live – that would be more of a dream come true than to share the card with him to be honest.

What Conor McGregor has done for Irish MMA, Ilia Topuria is doing for Spain MMA

What Conor McGregor has done for Ireland in MMA, Ilia is doing in Spain for MMA. I met with Ilia in Spain. I went to his house and trained him. I’ve seen what he was doing [growing MMA popularity] at the show that I was at, which was a WOW FC card. 

MMA wasn’t legal in Spain up until very recently and he would have absolutely had a massive part to play in that, becoming a world champion. Walking out with the UFC belt at the Santiago Bernabeu during a Real Madrid game. 

All of that has a part to play when your country has a world champion in a sport – that matters. So what Conor did to Irish MMA, Ilia Topuria is going to do for Spanish MMA.

If the UFC want me to fight Sean Brady next – the answer is yes

It’s the fight that he [Sean Brady] wants and it’s not a hard fight to organize. The truth is, it’s more about what does the UFC want? They’re the brand, they put on the fights and if they want to see me fight anyone they know they’re getting a ‘yes’. 

I’m someone who will fight anyone, anywhere, anytime. And, for example, Sean Brady, it’s not a hard fight to organize. It’s just whether the UFC wants it or not.

I’m in the conversation to fight Jack Della Maddalena for the title next

100% I’m in the conversation for a shot at Jack Della Maddalena next. 

There’s not a bigger name that you can mention in the division right now other than mine – you can put anyone else in there but the argument is there that I am the biggest draw, and if you put whoever versus me for the world title, it would be the biggest fight.

Paddy Pimblett v Ilia Topuria – one of the biggest fights in history

Paddy’s been phenomenal. You can’t give nothing but praise to what he’s done and how he’s done it. He’s gone out there. He’s backed up everything he said.

He’s beaten and is beating everyone that’s been put in front of him and he’s looked great and has that popularity inside and outside the Octagon, he’s doing what he needs to do, and he’s doing a very good job at it.

Paddy and Ilia is a massive, massive fight if that happens down the line. It’s going to be so big, so big. I reckon that’s a stadium [fight]. That’ll be one of the biggest fights we’ve ever seen.

Khamzat Chimaev has never fought anyone like me 

I’m not afraid of anyone, and I believe I can beat everyone in this sport. If there’s a way to do it, I can find it. I think Khamzat is phenomenal at what he does. I just believe he’s not fought anyone who can do to him what I could. 

I love a challenge, and that would absolutely be a challenge. And with what he’s done in his career, and how he’s done it. That would get me excited.

Islam Makhachev v Jack Della Maddalena is a ‘phenomenal’ fight

Size matters and when you’re giving up an extra 15 pounds to move up a division – yes, Islam Makhachev is big and yes, Islam is strong, and we know that he walks around more than 155. 

We know he probably walks around probably 180-190 – but Jack is just a bigger human, and I watch [Islam’s] fights with Alex Volkanovski and Dustin Poirier, and I see those fights, yes, Islam looked great, and Islam did what he needed to do. But Jack is a bigger man. He hits harder. Everything stings more. 

I believe the size discrepancy will be important. That’s the biggest factor. Does Islam consistently take guys of that size and stature down and hold them down? How does his strength versus Jack’s strength match up? Stylistically, the fight’s phenomenal. Is Islam big enough to be a welterweight when you look at him compared to Jack? Let’s find out.