Ian Garry shrugs off Michael Page's "fake Conor McGregor" comments, drawing parallel to Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan: "Made a legacy of his own"

Ian Garry has vowed to make his own legacy in the octagon, following comments Michael Page made comparing him to Conor McGregor. 'The Future' is set to face Page at UFC 303 this coming weekend, with the two welterweights tasked with kicking off the main card.

Garry is hoping to extend his undefeated record to 15-0, whereas 'MVP' is looking to make it two wins from two after making the switch to the UFC earlier this year.

Ahead of their upcoming bout, both Ian Garry and Michael Page have traded words whilst speaking to the press at the UFC 303 media day.

During his chat with the press, Page labeled Garry a "fake" Conor McGregor, believing the No.7 ranked welterweight is attempting to emulate the cocky persona of 'The Notorious'.

Garry then wasted no time in hitting back, shrugging off Page's comparisons. According to the Irishman, being compared to McGregor is a compliment, but he's planning on making his mark in MMA, similar to how Kobe Bryant stepped out of the shadows of Michael Jordan. Speaking to MMA Junkie, he said:

"Anyone saying that I'm trying to be like Conor McGregor, I take that as a compliment. He's the greatest star the sport has ever seen. If you're comparing me to him, it means I'm doing something right."

He continued:

"Have I been inspired by him? Absolutely. How many people talked about Kobe Bryant trying to be like Michael Jordan? Kobe went out and made a legacy of his own in his own way whilst having similar traits to Jordan."

Catch Garry's comments here:

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Alex Pereira refuses to judge Conor McGregor following UFC 303 injury pullout

UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has expressed his sympathy towards Conor McGregor, following the Irishman's withdrawal from UFC 303 due to injury.

McGregor had been set to headline the Las Vegas pay-per-view against Michael Chandler, however, it was confirmed last week that he was forced out of the fight after suffering a broken toe whilst training.

Whilst some fans were disappointed but understanding about the news, others have criticized McGregor for pulling out due to it 'only' being a broken toe. Pereira has since weighed in, revealing he has also previously suffered a similar injury. Speaking to ESPN MMA, 'Poatan' said:

"I cannot judge whether he fights or not, because honestly, he's on a point of his life where he secured himself on many different financial aspects...It is hard to fight with a broken pinky [toe]. It is a risky decision, very risky decision to fight with a broken toe. I broke one before the fight, it was bad, in the fight I broke the other one."

Catch Pereira's comments here (8:29):