Ian Machado Garry extended his undefeated record with a unanimous decision victory over Michael “Venom” Page at UFC 303, then paid tribute to the people who helped get him to fight night in Las Vegas.
Garry defeated Page with scores of 29-28 across the board to extend his record to 15-0, and explained that his preparation for the notoriously tricky “MVP” left no stone unturned, as he opted to switch from his usual striking-first approach to a more grapple-heavy gameplan to defeat the Englishman and add another win to his unblemished record.
“We obviously plan for everything. I say this to everyone. You got to come in here and plan for every single scenario,” he told Joe Rogan after his victory.
“I wanted to prove that I’m the better striker. But I knew the best place to go out there and try to get a finish was in the grappling. My skills are developing so well.
“As I said, I’m training with Demian Maia. I’m training with my champion, el Campion Charles “Do Bronx” Oliveira. I have so much love for my Brazilian team. But I’m out here representing Brazil and Ireland on the biggest stage possible. And I’m doing what I do best, getting my hand raised and having fun.”
Garry has found a new training home at the legendary Chute Boxe gym in Parana, Curitiba, Brazil, and has fully bought into the collective. As a result, the Irishman now feels fully at home at the Brazilian gym, and in head coach Diego Lima and former UFC welterweight contender and jiu-jitsu ace Maia, he says he has the perfect duo to guide him all the way to the top of the sport.
“I said this and I’ll say it again, Diego Lima and what he has done at Chute Boxe. He has the biggest heart I’ve ever met,” he told UFC.com backstage after his victory.
“This guy has so many kids in Brazil come through his door. I didn’t notice when I got signed to UFC, (but) he teaches them about taxes, how taxes work, he teaches them English.
“He says, ‘You guys can’t just go into the UFC, or try and make it in the big leagues just speaking Portuguese. You guys need to learn English, you guys need to be able to sell yourself.’
“He has the biggest heart, the most care, of any human I’ve ever met on the planet. And what he does for his team, the love he has, the energy he possesses. It is why that team’s energy is so special. It comes from the top down.”
Garry stated his pride in being able to be associated with Lima and his team at Chute Boxe, as he revealed just how pleased he is to have been able to find the right home, and the right team, for his development and his career.
And he stated that, with Lima and Maia in his corner, he is in the perfect place to maximise his skills and take his talents all the way to the top of the UFC’s welterweight division, and potentially beyond.
“How proud I am to find people that have such an amazing energy, that are willing to go above and beyond to help you succeed, no matter what. I have found myself two people that I’m going to have in my corner for the rest of my life in Demian and Diego. We are going to win many, many world titles and I’m excited to do it.”
