Ian Machado Garry promised he would be the biggest show in town ahead of UFC 292. But at the pre-fight press conference, he decided to get into an ugly war of words with opponent Neil Magny just two days before they are set to square off in the octagon.
The bizarre sequence all stemmed from a comment Magny made at media day on Wednesday. He offered up a prediction on how he would deal with the brash and outspoken Irish welterweight, who comes into the fight with an undefeated record.
“There’s like different levels to ass whoopings that come about,” Magny said. “There’s the whooping that you give somebody in high school, or in grade school. … There’s the whooping you give your son now, like to kind of teach him life a little bit. Being a father, I’ve become quite accustomed to that kind of whooping now, and that’s what we’re looking forward to giving on Saturday.
“I know he’s out there, he’s very cocky, he’s feeling himself, everything else like that. But every once in a while, as Dad, you got to step to him like, ‘Hey, hey, settle down, son. I got this. You’ve got some growing to do.’ I’m looking forward to going out there and doing just that.”
Garry opted to use those words against Magny on Thursday, demanding none of the media ask him a question while they shared the stage.
“Neil was given a f****** mic yesterday, and he should sit up here on this stage and say nothing,” Garry shouted. “He put his f****** foot in the dirt. If he speaks today, he’s going to be digging a hole.
“Nobody is allowed to ask Neil Magny a question today. He needs to sit there and reflect on the s*** that he said because what he said was f****** ridiculous.
“Did you watch the clip? Did you hear it? You heard word for word what came out of that man’s mouth? We are tackling a very, very big f******* issue here, mate. He should sit there and f****** sit down and shut up, and just reflect on what he said.”
Of course, the very next question went to Magny, but Garry kept up with his tirade,refusing to allow his opponent to say much of anything without speaking over him.
“Neil’s not answering a question,” Garry said. “He’s going to sit there and he’s going to be f****** quiet.
“Nobody, there is no f****** right to ever put your hand on a kid. Ever. Discipline, anything. Yesterday, you said I’m a father. I’ve been accustomed to that type of beating. I’m going to whoop that ass on Saturday night. You’ll sit there and shut up, and do what you’re told.”
As the uncomfortable exchange continued, Magny eventually issued a warning to Garry over his continued jabs.
“You know I’ve never put my hand on a child,” Magny said. “You can play the victim all you want. Don’t mention my child ever again. That’s the only warning.”
When the conversation eventually turned back to the fight, Garry then turned his attention to Magny’s resume, which prompted a rather funny response from “The Hatian Sensation.”
“Mate, you get beat by f******* everybody,” Garry said. “What are you going to do? You’re going to put me up against the cage, and you’re going to clinch and have a borefest. Who’s ass have you ever whooped?”
Magny wasted no time firing back
“The guy you’re training with to try and beat me – that’s for one,” Magny said referring to Garry’s work with Phil Rowe, whom he defeated back in June. “Like, what are you talking about?”
The back-and-forth exchanges continued when Garry and Magny finally stared each other down on stage before UFC President Dana White separated them. The welterweights will clash as part of the main card on pay-per-view at UFC 292 on Saturday.
