Ian Garry Ahead of Makhachev Fight: “Online Hate Is Fake”

Ian Machado Garry has addressed the intense online criticism ahead of the biggest fight of his career. The Irish fighter believes that hate on social media does not reflect people’s attitudes in real life—in face-to-face encounters, he instead sees kindness and respect.

The 28-year-old fighter will face welterweight champion Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC 330 on August 15. The clash in Philadelphia will be Garry’s first opportunity to win a UFC title.

“What is said online stays online”

Garry stressed that there is a major gap between discussions on social media and people’s attitudes in real life.

“The way fighters are treated online is completely artificial. There have been hateful comments directed at me, but when I meet people face to face, they show nothing but kindness and respect. It’s a show. It’s all fake.”

The Irish fighter said he does not treat online comments as reality that affects his personal life.

“I don’t pay any attention to it at all. Anything said online stays online.”

Garry has previously stressed that the public’s attitude online and in real life can be radically different. According to him, although there are many harsh critics on social media, his personal meetings with fans have almost always been positive.

The criticism reached his family

The online campaign against Garry became particularly intense in late 2023 and early 2024. At the time, the criticism went beyond the fighter’s results or performances in the octagon and was also directed at his wife, Layla, and other family members.

The fighter later admitted that the period had been difficult for his family. He said he accepts criticism of himself as part of the sport, but attacking loved ones who have nothing to do with the fight crosses an entirely different line.

The situation became so serious that Garry was forced to make some of his social media accounts private and temporarily disable comments on his Instagram posts.

He now says he views those events not as a distraction, but as part of the artificial hype created around a fighter.

Why is opinion on Garry so divided?

Throughout his UFC career, Ian Garry has attracted attention not only for his fights, but also for his high opinion of himself and his bold statements.

His outspoken comments spark interest among some fans while provoking a negative reaction from others. The Irish fighter himself considers this polarization an integral part of promoting major sports events and fights.

Nevertheless, Garry has repeatedly stressed that spreading unverified information about his personal life or family should not be equated with ordinary pre-fight trash talk.

Now everything will be settled in the octagon

In the official UFC rankings, Garry is the No. 1 welterweight contender. He has had 18 professional fights, recording 17 wins and one defeat.

Islam Makhachev, meanwhile, is the welterweight champion and one of the highest-ranked fighters in the UFC’s pound-for-pound standings. His record stands at 28 wins, one defeat and 16 consecutive victories.

The August 15 bout will be Makhachev’s first defense of the welterweight title. For Garry, it is an opportunity to put the online arguments, criticism and bold statements behind him with a single result.

Anyone can post their opinion online. In the octagon, there is no comments section—only two fighters and their preparation remain. Leave your opinion in the comments and share the article with sports fans on Telegram or other social networks!