Ian David Machado Garry (né Garry; born 17 November 1997) is an Irish professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Hailing from Portmarnock, County Dublin in Ireland, Garry's journey to the UFC is a story of dedication and rapid ascent in the world of mixed martial arts.
Garry later adopted the surname "Machado Garry", with Machado being Layla's maiden name. Layla had a son from a previous relationship and Garry stated that "I wanted my son and my stepson to really feel connected.
Early Life and Martial Arts Training
Garry started training boxing at 10 years old and has had over 300 boxing matches. When Conor McGregor drew attention to MMA in Ireland, Garry was inspired to try judo to expand his martial art skillset. He became a black belt in judo at the age of 18.
I started training boxing at 10 years old and have had over 300 boxing matches. The rise of Conor McGregor in Ireland drew my attention to MMA and the idea of practicing multiple disciplines inspired me to add Judo to my game. I became a black belt at Judo by 18 and it was very obvious I was a natural born fighter. I wanted to follow in Conor’s footsteps. Despite my family’s protests, I dropped out of college to pursue a career in MMA and started MMA training at the age of 18. I had my first amateur MMA fight the day after my 19th birthday and turned pro at 21. In under five years I have become a UFC fighter and am debuting at MSG at 23!
After attending Dublin Institute of Technology for a couple of months, he dropped out to focus on martial arts.
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Training: I’m training around two to three times a day, and every day is different. I train in the morning first thing, then afternoon, and again in the evening, making sure I fit in a round of golf where I can. No two days are the same.
Cage Warriors Career
He made his professional debut in February 2019 at Cage Warriors 101, where he won against James Sheehan via unanimous decision and earned the Fight of the Night award as well as a contract with the promotion. Garry accumulated four more consecutive wins, before facing two-fight UFC veteran Rostem Akman at Cage Warriors 121. He won the bout in under 8 minutes, setting up a matchup at Cage Warriors 125 against Jack Grant for the Cage Warriors Welterweight Championship.
In July 2021, Garry, the reigning Cage Warriors Welterweight Champion announced that he had signed a contract with the UFC.
UFC: Ian Garry The UFC Star in the Making
UFC Career
Garry faced Darian Weeks on 9 April 2022, at UFC 273. Garry married English television presenter Layla Anna-Lee in Las Vegas on 26 February 2022. In April 2022, it was announced she was pregnant with the couple's first child. Their son was born in October 2022.
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Key UFC Fights and Results
- UFC 273 vs. Darian Weeks: Won via unanimous decision.
- UFC 276 vs. Gabe Green: Garry Sails to Unanimous Decision Victory.
- UFC 285 vs. Song Kenan: Garry Overcomes Early Adversity, Stops Song Kenan.
- UFC Fight Night vs. Daniel Rodriguez: Garry unloads huge head kick leading to first-round knockout.
- UFC 292 vs. Neil Magny: Garry Hurts Neil Magny With Leg Kicks, Wins Dominant Decision.
- UFC 298 vs. Geoff Neal: Ian Machado Garry draws boos in win over Geoff Neal.
- UFC 303 vs. Michael Page: Ian Machado Garry Earns Decision Over Michael Page In Close One.
- UFC Kansas City vs Carlos Prates: Ian Machado Garry Survives Late Onslaught, Tops Carlos Prates in UFC Kansas City Main Event.
- UFC Qatar vs Belal Muhammad: No Knockout, but Ian Machado Garry Beats Belal Muhammad.
Here's a table summarizing Ian Machado Garry's UFC record as of November 2025:
| Event | Opponent | Result | Method | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UFC 273 | Darian Weeks | Win | Unanimous Decision | April 9, 2022 |
| UFC 276 | Gabe Green | Win | Unanimous Decision | July 2, 2022 |
| UFC 285 | Song Kenan | Win | TKO (Punches) | March 4, 2023 |
| UFC on ABC 4 | Daniel Rodriguez | Win | TKO (Head Kick and Punches) | May 13, 2023 |
| UFC 292 | Neil Magny | Win | Unanimous Decision | August 19, 2023 |
| UFC 298 | Geoff Neal | Win | Split Decision | February 17, 2024 |
| UFC 303 | Michael Page | Win | Unanimous Decision | June 29, 2024 |
| UFC Kansas City | Carlos Prates | Win | Split Decision | April 27, 2025 |
| UFC Qatar | Belal Muhammad | Win | Split Decision | November 22, 2025 |
Achievements
- Performance of the Night (One time) vs. UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. UFC on ESPN: Machado Garry vs. UFC on ABC: Rozenstruik vs.
Personal Life
Garry married English television presenter Layla Anna-Lee in Las Vegas on 26 February 2022. In April 2022, it was announced she was pregnant with the couple's first child. Their son was born in October 2022.
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