Garry Embraces McGregor Comparison Ahead of UFC 330

Ian Machado Garry has heard the McGregor comparisons his entire UFC career. He is not running from them ahead of UFC 330.

The Irish welterweight challenger faces Islam Makhachev for the 170-pound title on August 15 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, and when asked about the parallel being drawn between his situation and Conor McGregor's first UFC title fight against Jose Aldo in 2015, Garry acknowledged it directly.

"I've had a lot of pressure from the outside world, from the fans and the sport itself, to be the star and hype that Conor McGregor set. I've had a lot of comparisons to Conor due to the fact that we're both from Ireland. When Conor fought for his first UFC title, he fought the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, who hadn't been beaten in a decade, and he knocked him out in 13 seconds. My next opponent is the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter,” Garry said

McGregor fought Aldo — at the time the most dominant champion in the featherweight division's history — and ended it in thirteen seconds. Garry is fighting Makhachev, who has not lost since 2015, holds the top pound-for-pound ranking, and has been world champion at two weight classes. The opponent calibre, the Irish identity, the first title shot — the comparisons write themselves.

Garry earned the shot through performances that were hard to ignore. Wins over Belal Muhammad, Carlos Prates, and Michael Page built a case that the UFC could not bypass, even for a fighter whose promotional profile and nationality invited easy criticism as a McGregor successor rather than a genuine contender.

Garry is primarily a striker. His path to the title almost certainly runs through keeping the fight standing and creating the kind of counter-striking opportunities that Makhachev's forward pressure occasionally invites. Whether he can execute that for five rounds against the sport's best fighter is the question August 15 in Philadelphia will answer.