If you’re still talking about the fight, you lost more than the ones you won; you’ve already lost the narrative. That’s an unspoken rule in combat sports, and UFC is no different. In the welterweight division, recent banter weighs on meritocratic principles governing title contention. Ian Machado Garry, hailed as ‘The Future,’ is currently shown the mirror by Sean Brady.
The former recently expressed his aspirations for a title shot following a victory over a lower-ranked opponent. This assertion came on the heels of his decisive loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 on December 7, 2024. However, the fresh jab from Sean Brady lands differently.
Sean Brady, with a professional record of 18-1-0, responded to Garry’s claims via social media, stating, “Biggest claim to fame is losing a decision to Shavkat, crying like a baby… now is claiming he will get the title if he beats #13. Make it make sense .” Brady’s recent performances strengthen his position in this debate. He secured a unanimous decision victory over Leon Edwards at UFC Fight Night held last month. He is ready for higher-stakes matchups.
Sean Brady talks about Ian Garry
(via Sean Brady IG) pic.twitter.com/f3fhNK6YHq
— Dovy (@DovySimuMMA) April 24, 2025
‘The Silent Assassin’s’ scathing remarks are far from isolated. Across the welterweight division, fighters and analysts alike have begun raising questions about Ian Garry’s ambition. For them, the ascent is driven more by media than the rankings. Joining the chorus of critics is rising contender Carlos Prates, who will face Garry in the main event of UFC Kansas City. A classic “chess vs. chaos” fight. A win could catapult Prates into the top-10 rankings, a major leap considering he only joined the UFC in 2024. So, in an appearance on the MMA Hoje podcast, Prates didn’t hold back.
“I’ve been in the company [UFC] for a year. Two main events, four bonuses, four knockouts. I think this kid has been in the UFC for about four years, he’s never had a main event.” ‘The Nightmare’ was in no mood to stop. “He won one bonus, I think… A bunch of decisions there, a f—— boring fighter… He’s fighting in the main event because I chose him…” Predicting the aftermath of UFC Fight Night: Machado Garry vs Prates, he said, “When he wakes up after the fight, he’ll have to come and say, ‘Thanks Carlos Prates, you made me some good money.’”
Hype or merit, what would it take to build a legacy for Ian Garry?
On one side, there’s a faction of fighters who argue that ‘The Future’ is being propelled more by headlines and Instagram algorithms than the bout in the octagon. Sean Brady and Carlos Prates have been vocal in this camp, their critiques eerily aligned despite their distinct tones. Brady calls out Garry for “0 top 5 wins, calls himself an elite striker, but held on for dear life against MVP”, while Prates contends that Garry is only in the Kansas City main event because he selected him as a partner.
From a purist’s perspective, that might hold water. Garry boasts just one UFC bonus and a mere three finishes in the organization, even with his unbeaten marketing appeal. On the flip side, Prates has set the welterweight division ablaze with four consecutive knockouts and several bonuses in a shorter span. For fans who cherish the martial art over the marketing, this gap seems like a real injustice.
To label Garry simply as a ‘media product’ overlooks a crucial reality: he has achieved victory. Competitors such as Leon Edwards and Georges St-Pierre faced similar ‘boring’ labels in their careers, but their legacies ultimately silenced those criticisms.
And interestingly, even Brady, arguably Garry’s most vocal critic, couldn’t help but set his bias aside when it came time to call the outcome of this weekend’s fight. “Unfortunately, I’m going to pick Ian to win this fight,” Brady said on his BradyBagz Show. “Ian has more ways to win than Carlos does. Obviously, Carlos could probably knock him out. Ian knows how to win. He’ll probably (strike) and f*cking run.”
Ian might not be everyone’s favorite, but he keeps finding a way to stay standing.
As the cage doors close in Kansas City, will Garry’s dominance remind us that there’s more than one way to be elite in the UFC? Chime in to drop your thoughts.
The post “Crying Like a Baby”- Ian Machado Garry Gets Humiliated as Sean Brady Slashes UFC 315 Plans appeared first on EssentiallySports.