Ian Garry opens up on receiving heartwarming fan support after UFC 296 withdrawal despite social media turmoil surrounding private life

Ian Garry has just taken to social media to express his appreciation for the 'wonderful' support he's received in the wake of his recent withdrawal from UFC 296. The Irishman was forced to withdraw from his matchup with Vicente Luque after contracting pneumonia, for which he received severe fan backlash.

However, 'The Future' has announced that he was showered with a wave of supportive messages on social media, which moved him. Ahead of UFC 296, Garry was embroiled in the welterweight division's most talked-about drama, involving his wife, Layla Machado Garry.

The Irishman's wife, who is 14 years his senior, was lambasted upon the discovery of a book she has written, called 'How to be a WAG,' which is an 11-page instructional on how to seduce young male athletes. Garry's wife, however, has claimed that the book was satirical, thus taken out of context.

Unfortunately, this did little to sway the MMA world from criticizing Garry's marriage. His wife's status as his manager, as well as the revelation that her ex-husband, Richard Cullen, was hired as his nutritionist, led to severe criticism, including from fellow fighters like Sean Strickland.

After the 26-year-old 170-pounder withdrew from UFC 296, many speculated on whether it was due to him wanting to avoid a pre-fight press conference scandal with trash-talkers like Colby Covington, who is known for making things personal. However, his reason for withdrawing from the card was seemingly legitimate.

Garry fell ill with pneumonia, which left him unable to compete. Fortunately, he has been rebooked for UFC 298, where he will take on Geoff Neal, a man he was once scheduled to fight.

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Is Ian Garry a former Cage Warriors champion?

Ian Garry represents the next phase in Irish MMA, especially with Conor McGregor's decline closer to the present than his prime. Both men have drawn comparisons to each other, largely due to their brash personalities and Irish roots. Another similarity is their past status as Cage Warriors champions.

Check out Ian Garry being crowned the Cage Warriors welterweight champion in the clip below:

McGregor is a former lightweight and featherweight champion in the promotion. Meanwhile, Garry is a former welterweight champion under the Cage Warriors banner. Also, like McGregor, Garry never defended his championship, as he signed with the UFC soon afterward.