Three talking points from Ian Garry’s UFC debut at UFC 268

Among the madness of UFC 268, a star emerged. To paraphrase a famous man, Ian Garry may have proved he isn’t here to take part – he’s here to take over.

There were plenty of talking points coming out of UFC 268, and that much is an understatement. Usman’s win, the Gaethje/Chandler war, and so much more went down.

If you’re a fan from the UK and Ireland, though, there’s a decent chance Ian Garry’s UFC debut stole the show.

This young welterweight made his way into the octagon with a great deal of hype behind him. He looks like the next great beacon of hope for Irish MMA, and if we had to give his debut a grade, A- feels pretty suitable.

Why? Here’s why.

Resilience with a knockout

Jordan Williams was having a lot of joy in the early stages of this fight, and it’s essential to recognise that. Garry himself noted that he was gun shy after allowing the weight of the occasion to get to him, which makes sense. After all, he was making his UFC bow at Madison Square Garden.

Alas, mixed martial arts is all about perseverance and figuring out a way to win. Ian Garry did that by taking his time, stepping back and landing a beautiful straight right to close the show.

We saw adversity, we saw resilience, and we certainly saw talent.

Read: UFC London 2022: Here’s what we know so far.

The post-fight interview

YouTube video

“We’re gonna be a world champion. We are taking over the division. Joe. A wise Irishman once said before me, he stepped in this very cage, and he said we’re not here to take part – we’re here to take over. This is the takeover part two.”

There have been some good post-fight debut promos, with Paddy Pimblett’s recent effort coming to mind, but this was up there with the best of them. Of course, some UFC fans won’t like this “pro wrestling” style approach, and that’s fine. Still, many people are going to follow the trajectory of this guy. And it’s good to know he’s got a mouth on him.

The next McGregor?

The finish was similar to McGregor’s final Cage Warriors win. The promo came naturally in a similar manner to “The Notorious”. Oh, and he believes in his heart that he’s the best in the world.

Mystic Mac caught lightning in a bottle, though, and Ian Garry needs to forge his own path. With that said, it’s perfectly understandable for folks to start getting excited about this man.

Welterweight is stacked, but he’s got a great team and the right mentality.

At the age of just 23, the sky is the limit for “The Future”.

Featured image credit: Getty