Coach Diego Lima predicts Ian Machado Garry ends 2024 as UFC champion

Ian Machado Garry did his camp for his UFC 298 fight against Geoff Neal at Chute Boxe in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and coach Diego Lima believes the Irishman is destined to claim the UFC welterweight belt this year.

Garry is undefeated in six octagon appearances, 13-0 overall as a MMA fighter, and returns to the cage Saturday after being forced off a match with Vicente Luque due to illness this past December. Lima sees the fact that the Irishman remained one of the biggest topics of the week despite being off the lineup as proof that he’s closer than ever to a shot at the 170-pound strap.

“After the fight was cancelled, he wasn’t even fighting anymore, and everybody keep talking about him at the press conference,” Lima said on MMA Fighting’s Trocação Franca podcast. “Colby [Covington] kept talking about him, [Leon] Edwards too. He wasn’t even fighting and people kept talking because this guy sells. He’s good. I believe that, if all goes right, [Chute Boxe will] end 2024 with two belts.”

Lima’s main protege is lightweight contender Charles Oliveira, who is pursuing a rematch with 155-pound titleholder Islam Makhachev, however he lauds the 26-year-old Garry for his in-cage abilities. Yet, Lima says that’s not even the best attribute of “The Future”.

“He’s a great person,” Lima said. “I know he’s going through a difficult moment on social media because of a bunch of people that think s*** and defecate through their mouths. He’s a role model of a man, his family is wonderful. He’s welcomed us really well. He has a gigantic heart. Ian Garry is a family man and you see the love he has for his wife and son. It’s beautiful to see.”

“And talking about training, he’s always playing around with the amateur [fighters],” he continued. “He came to the gym the other day just to help an amateur fighter fix some details. He’s a great guy. That’s more important than me saying he’s a great fighter who punches and kicks well. He’s a fighter, one of the best in the world, undefeated in the world’s biggest promotion. That’s obvious. The important thing here is to talk about the qualities some people might not know of — he’s such a great man, a family guy, and very humble. Honestly, I don’t have one negative thing to say about him.”