Ian Machado Garry wasted no time asserting his position when the topic of Colby Covington arose. Fresh off his victory over Geoff Neal at UFC 298, Garry made it clear that he saw Covington as a prime target.
“He doesn’t have a choice,” Garry stated firmly at the post-fight press conference. “He’s lost three title fights. He doesn’t have a choice. Sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt, but there is no other f****** option for him.”
Ian Machado Garry Says Colby Covington Can’t Escape Him Following UFC 298
As the conversation continued, it became evident that Covington’s reputation raised questions about potential opponents. With Covington’s recent losses and the need to rebuild his career, questions arose about his next steps, particularly after his loss to Leon Edwards at UFC 296.
From a purely competitive standpoint, Garry seemed to see himself matched better against other up-and-coming fighters such as Sean Brady, Jack Della Maddalena, and Shavkhat Rakhmonov.
“I am a fighter who says yes,” Garry emphasized when asked about potential matchups with the trio of fast-rising contenders: “I don’t say no. I don’t be picky. I say yes, where, when? That’s it.”
Next Fight?
For Garry, the appeal of facing Covington went beyond just the competition. Covington’s brash persona and personal attacks on Garry and his family added an extra layer of motivation.
That’s likely why Covington was part of Garry’s desired matchups, along with former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland, who also engaged in disparaging remarks about Garry’s family.
Featured image credit to Embed from Getty Images
