Ian Machado Garry claims to be the biggest star on UFC 292
At UFC 292, Ian Machado Garry is taking on Neil Magny. The event features a ton of massive fights with popular competitors. This includes Aljamain Sterling, Sean O’Malley, Weili Zhang, Amanda Lemos, Marlon Vera, Chris Weidman, and more. Of all those names, Machado Garry believes he is the biggest star on the card.
In an appearance on The MMA Hour, Machado Garry spoke on his star power in anticipation of UFC 292. All quotes via TheScore.
“I believe that I am carrying this 292 card on my back, and that if it wasn’t for me, this card would’ve gone down the drain,” Garry said Monday on “The MMA Hour.” “With the opponent change and everything – at the end of the day, I’m just happy the fans get to see me.”
In the lead-up to UFC 292, Machado Garry was forced to switch opponents after Geoff Neal pulled out of the bout. Now, he will fight Magny instead. While the matchup with Magny will not be as anticipated as the aforementioned bout against Neal, it still gives Machado Garry a chance to put his skills on display on a UFC pay-per-view.
“This is the stage, the platform where I go in there and – you’ve got the likes of Sean O’Malley and (bantamweight champion) Aljamain (Sterling) and all these guys – I’m the superstar on the card,” Garry said.
Machado Garry has shown superstar potential since signing with the UFC and his hype train has continued to grow. It is hard to make the case that he is the biggest star on the card, however.
At this stage of their careers, Machado Garry is simply not a bigger star than O’Malley. Despite not being a champion, O’Malley has gained a ton of notoriety on social media and has become a well-known commodity outside of the UFC.
If you want statistics, Machado Garry has fewer followers on Instagram than O’Malley, Sterling, Zhang, Vera, and Weidman. While Instagram followers are not the end-all-be-all of stardom, it is a surface-level way to compare a fighter’s following.
Machado Garry certainly has the potential to be one of the biggest stars in MMA. If he can stack a few more impressive performances together he may find himself at a pay-per-view card. That day has not yet come, however.
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