IRVINE, Calif. – Ian Machado Garry has no regret about the infamous T-shirt he made with Geoff Neal’s mugshot.
While some suggested Garry (13-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) went too far with his antics, the Irishman insists he was well within the normal boundaries of trash talk and has no regret for his actions.
Garry and Neal (15-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC), who fight this Saturday at UFC 298, were originally supposed to fight in August at UFC 292. However, Neal withdrew from the fight a few weeks prior and Garry went on to fight and beat late replacement Neil Magny.
Weeks before the cancellation, Garry posted a photo wearing a T-shirt with Neal’s mugshot from a 2021 DUI.
“The T-shirt was a f*cking laugh, and it worked,” Garry said at Wednesday’s UFC 298 media day. “He didn’t show up, and I believe he was pissed for that first fight and didn’t show up because of the T-shirt.
“Look, I have zero regrets for making that T-shirt. It was funny. The truth is that no one knew who Geoff was. No one knew the fight was booked until I made the T-shirt, and then everybody started talking about it. We’re in the fight game, and we’re trying to sell fights and entertain. After that point, everybody knew about it. Before that, no one knew.”
Garry enters this weekend’s event full of confidence. He believes he will outclass Neal and get close to his dream of becoming UFC welterweight champion.
“I feel like, look, Geoff is a phenomenal fighter,” Garry said. “He’s tough, he’s durable, and he’s been in the game for a while and fought the best guys in the world. However, I don’t believe anyone is as fast as me or as technical as I am or has as much in the arsenal as I do.
“For me, it’s just a matter of time until he makes a mistake. I expect Geoff to be tough and be there for all 15 minutes, unless I do my job well and I make him make that mistake.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 298.
