Ian Machado Garry thinks he’s the marquee name of UFC 292.
Saturday’s card is headlined by the bantamweight title fight between champion Aljamain Sterling and Sean O’Malley, and also features the likes of strawweight champ Zhang Weili and the return of former champ Chris Weidman.
Garry (12-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who takes on Neil Magny (28-10 MMA, 21-9 UFC) at TD Garden in Boston, is confident he’s the main attraction of the card.
“I believe that I am carrying this 292 card on my back, and that if it wasn’t for me, this card would go down the drain,” Garry said on The MMA Hour. “With the opponent change and everything – at the end of the day, I’m just happy the fans get to see me, because I know there’s a lot of Irish and Brazilian support in Boston that are excited to have me there. I’m glad the fans get to watch me live in action.”
Just like Conor McGregor had one of his breakout moments in Boston, Garry expects the same for his career.
“For sure,” Garry explained. “I’m Irish. I’m fighting in Boston. They have a massive Irish contingent. I’ve just been in Brazil the last two and a half months. The biggest contingent of Brazilians is in Massachusetts and Boston.
“This is the stage, the platform where I go in there, and you say it: You’ve got the likes of Sean O’Malley and Aljamain and all these guys, that I’m the superstar on the card. It happened in the last fight. It’s happening this fight. The wheels are in motion. I just have to show up and do my thing and the world will see.”
UFC 292 takes place Saturday at TD Garden in Boston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.
