"He's the reason I'm in MMA" - Irishman Ian Garry is thrilled with Conor McGregor comparison ahead of UFC debut

Ian Garry will make his UFC debut later this year. The Irishman is absolutely pumped ahead of his first fight in the world's biggest MMA promotion.

With an unbeaten career record of 7-0, Garry will feature on the UFC 268: Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington 2 card in November.

Garry, a former Cage Warriors welterweight champion, has often been compared to Conor McGregor as Ireland continue to search for the next MMA superstar. McGregor is without a doubt the biggest superstar the sport has ever seen. But Garry isn't weighed down by comparisons to the 'Notorious' megastar.

In fact, 'The Future' claimed he enjoyed being compared to Conor McGregor in the latest episode of The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani.

"Do I not like to be compared to one of biggest sport stars of all time? Of course, I like the comparison! Obviously, being Irish, there are similarities. It's like any college basketball player being compared to Michael Jordan. Conor McGregor changed the game in MMA. He brought so many eyes to the sport. If I can do something similar then that's a win. He's the reason I'm in MMA. His rise was why MMA got huge in Dublin and Ireland. Similarly, if I can put people in gyms because they want to be like me after seeing me put on a show, it's all you can ask for," said Ian Garry.

Watch Ian Garry feature in the latest episode of The MMA Hour below:

Ian Garry is known for his head kick, with which he knocked out Rostem Akman at Cage Warriors 121 in March 2021. A video of him performing the move went viral shortly after, increasing the hype surrounding the Irish fighter even more.

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Ian Garry gears up for his UFC debut against Jordan Williams

Dublin native Ian Garry will take on American fighter Jordan Williams, who holds a 9-5 record, in his UFC debut. The fight will take place at UFC 268, which will be held at Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 6. The welterweight bout is set to feature on the preliminary card.

Another BIG debut!@IanGarryMMA 🇮🇪 steps into the Octagon to face Jordan Williams at #UFC268 pic.twitter.com/mUrmMDPdhD

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) September 8, 2021

Williams is coming off back-to-back defeats in the UFC. Most recently, he lost to Mickey Gall at UFC Vegas 32 in July. He's arguably in a must-win situation when he faces the promotional newcomer

Meanwhile, Garry will be determined to make a good impression in his first outing for the Dana White-led promotion.