Ian Garrys’ passion for MMA comes from his parents, which is where he gets his drive and determination from to this day.
“My family has a massive part in the person I am today as I get my drive and determination from my parents. From their upbringing and what they had to deal with in their marriage raising me and my siblings, it’s pushed me to be the selfish type of person I am today, Garry told Cageside Press in a recent interview. The Irish prospect, who has been fighting for Cage Warriors, is currently awaiting his next assignment. “Knowing that I have to look after myself first cause nobody else will. If I don’t push myself to the ultimate limit I’m not gonna succeed. If I’m not in this all the way I’m not in it at all”
Garry is a rising welterweight prospect with a 3-0 professional record. A strong amateur career preceded that, and two of his three pro wins have been finishes. But for Garry, it’s all about the competition.
“The reason I do this [fight] is because I absolutely love it. I love the competition, I love testing myself and my skills, I love competing, and I love going in there [cage] with somebody and putting it to the test,” he explained. “I work harder than anyone. I work my ass off to prove people wrong or right to show the people that put their faith in me. I may not be the biggest and may not be the strongest but I am one of the most efficient.”
“I will say this. When you look at everything I’ve got it all. I can talk, I can sing, hell I can dance, I can do whatever you want me to do,” he continued, showing another important factor in modern fighting — personality. “Anything you say I can’t do, I will do. I’m a winner and I will find a way to win and that’s why I succeed. I can’t lose, I can’t fail, I hate it. There is just that drive inside me that pushes me to be the fighter I am, the person I am and that has a lot to do with my family. I’ve got to credit that to my mom and my dad.”
Garry is an extremely confident young fighter who is set in his goals. Just a young man set to prove people wrong and to prove others right. Going back to the fact that Garry is still only 3-0 and very young at 22-years-old — so he still has quite a way to go. But his target is locked.
“What the future holds for me is what I decide. If I want to make something happen I’m gonna make it happen. When I said I’ll go pro before the age of 23 I did. When I say I’ll sign with the UFC before the age of 25 I will. I’m 22 right now and I’m gonna sign to the UFC in the next two years and I know that. I have a massive year ahead of me and whoever Cage Warrior puts in front of me I’m gonna mow through them. People are gonna see the hard work, the dedication, the passion I have for this sport. People say it’s all about the sport and it’s not. It’s all about me and that’s all I care about the most. This sport is amazing but it’s about how this sport makes me feel.”
Being with the top promotion out of the UK in Cage Warriors, Garry does indeed have a clear path to the UFC if everything works to his plan. To this date, Cage Warriors has sent ninety-five fighters to the UFC.
“There is this demon inside of me that just loves to this [fighting]. It lives for this competition and I know I’m gonna do everything I say I’m gonna do” he said. “I know I’m gonna win the Cage Warriors world title. I may not even get the chance to, the UFC may come and scoop me up and that’s fine. I know I’m gonna make it to the UFC and anything that happens from there on in is a bonus. Obviously, I want that Cage Warrior belt, I want that UFC belt, I want to be one of the best that’s ever lived.”
“That”s why I’m with Cage Warriors I wanna do everything the right way. I wanna get there and be the best me I can be when I sign to the UFC,” Garry continued. “There’s nothing special there is no secret formula no secret ingredient. I’m just a 22-year-old driven kid with a dream. People can try to talk shit to me and drive me offline but I’ll tell you know, none of it’s gonna work. I’m too focused, I’m too selfish, I only think about my self because I know what I got to do.”
Although most successful Cage Warriors fighters go to the UFC some don’t. Mauro Cerilli went to ONE Championship, Karl Moore went to Bellator as did Soren Bak and Nathan Greyson.
“There is no way I’m picking Bellator over the UFC. I’m in this to be the best. I don’t really care about being paid,” exclaimed Garry. “If Bellator comes to me with an offer that’s great that’s fine but I don’t really care. For me the only reason I would go to that level is if I can’t make it to the UFC or for some reason I’m not good enough to make it to the UFC. My mind is purely focused on making it to the UFC and that’s what I will do. That’s why I’m with Cage Warriors — if I didn’t wanna go to the UFC I probably would have signed with Bellator already before Cage Warriors. Cage Warriors is the proving land to the UFC, they have proven time and time again with 95 people to the UFC. I’m hoping I’m gonna be number 100.”
“I don’t care about money, money doesn’t drive me fame doesn’t drive me. I’m not a materialistic person as I’d like a nice car, that’s about it because I like driving. Success and happiness is what drives me and happiness will come the success. The harder I work the better I become. The better I become the more success I’ll have. The more success I have the happier I will be. I’m just a 22-year-old kid living his dream and that’s why I succeed.”
