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Ian Machado Garry responds to Michael Morales' constant UFC callouts

Ian Machado Garry responds to Michael Morales' constant UFC callouts

USA Today21-05-2025
Ian Machado Garry responds to Michael Morales' constant UFC callouts Ian Machado Garry addresses constant callouts by rising UFC contender Michael Morales
Ian Machado Garry has addressed Michael Morales' numerous callouts.
Morales, who recently sent shockwaves through the MMA world with his knockout win over Gilbert Burns, has been calling out Machado Garry since 2023, and he now has been given a response. Morales wasn't pleased to hear Machado Garry mention his name in a previus interview, and since has taken exception to the Irishman.
Machado Garry doesn't understand where the issue comes from, and frankly, doesn't care.
"I don't believe I've ever met the bloke," Machado Garry told Ariel Helwani. "But if he has a problem, keep the problem. It doesn't bother me. I don't believe I've ever met him, said a word to him, or anything at all."
Morales took a big step forward in his career Saturday. In his first UFC main event, Morales quickly finished Burns – a long-time contender and former UFC title challenger. Machado Garry, who used to train with Burns at Kill Cliff FC in Deerfield Beach, Fla., watched the fight closely.
"I watched the fight against Gilbert. Gilbert is a good friend of mine, so I have to watch it," Machado Garry said. "And yeah, he did what he needed to do. I thought Gilbert looked good early on. I thought he looked a lot more energetic than we've seen him in the past, and against a bigger guy, he looked good early on. But Morales did what he needed to do, and that's the fighter in him."
Machado Garry thinks he'll eventually meet Morales inside the cage. Machado Garry's belief is unwavering that he himself is bound to be champion, and he wouldn't mind defending the belt against Ecuador's Morales, should the opportunity arise.
"I'm going to fight him at some point in time because when I'm the champion, I'm going to beat everyone that's next contender," Machado Garry said.
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