Ian Garry has earned fans throughout the world with his mind-blowing performances. Inspired by Conor McGregor, the young prospect has never tasted a defeat in the fighting realm. He is currently boasting an undefeated record of 14 wins. Now, Garry is entering UFC 303 with a 7-fight win streak in the MMA promotion, to fight Michael Page.

As a fan of ‘The Notorious’, the 26-year-old fighter has often hinted at his desire to follow McGregor. But did you know that Garry is McGregor’s fellow country mate? Let’s take a closer look at Garry’s personal life and his nationality.

What ethnicity and nationality is Ian Garry? His parents and siblings

‘The Future’ was born in Dublin City, Ireland, on the 17th of November, 1997. His parents, Edwin and Moira Garry, have often supported him in his journey to be a champion. Garry’s father, a former rugby player, is now a retired police officer. Just like his father, the Irish fighter’s mother has also stood beside him as a source of emotional stability. All we know about his ethnicity is that he is Irish.

Being a big brother sure comes with a ton of responsibilities. Garry has shouldered them pretty well by inspiring his younger brother, Sean Garry, to aspire to become a fighter, just like him. ‘Machado’s elder sister, Kelie Garry, however, has taken a different path and settled in her life as a married woman with two kids. 

As a proud Irishman, Garry attended local schools and while not much is known, the fighter was also enrolled in a college. Later, in 2020, the mixed martial artist crossed paths with Layla Anna-Lee and fell in love with her. They began dating and tied the knot on 26 February 2022. Needless to say, Lee has relentlessly supported Garry as he began his climb in the UFC’s welterweight division. A couple of years ago, the two gave birth to a son and named him Leandro Vegas Machado Garry. 

The Irish MMA fighter has greatly impressed the fight fans with his performance inside the Octagon. But have you ever wondered how exactly he began his journey in sanctioned fighting? Let’s find out.

How did Ian Garry start fighting?

While talking to the UFC, ‘The Future’ revealed that he began training in martial arts from a pretty young age. But it was indeed the ‘Mystic Mac’ who inspired Garry to enter the realm of mixed martial arts. He took on the challenge and became a black belt in judo by the time he was 18. And the very next year, he began the journey with his very first bout in MMA.

‘Machado’ said, “I started training boxing at 10 years old and have had over 300 boxing matches. The rise of Conor McGregor in Ireland drew my attention to MMA and the idea of practicing multiple disciplines inspired me to add Judo to my game. I became a black belt at Judo by 18 and it was very obvious I was a natural-born fighter. I wanted to follow in Conor’s footsteps.”

“Despite my family’s protests, I dropped out of college to pursue a career in MMA and started MMA training at the age of 18. I had my first amateur MMA fight the day after my 19th birthday and turned pro at 21. In under five years, I have become a UFC fighter and am debuting at MSG at 23! Told you I was fast,” the fighter added. 

Garry set his goal to fight in the UFC from an early age. Now, with his next fight against MVP, the fighter might just take his legacy a notch higher. What are your thoughts about Garry’s family? Do you think he can extend his winning spree at UFC 303? Let us know what you think in the comments below.