UFC contender Ian Machado Garry recently revealed that he is no longer permitted to train at Team Renegade, Leon Edwards’s gym, due to concerns raised by the welterweight champion and his coach, Dave Lovell.
Garry, who maintains an undefeated record, expressed gratitude to Ash Begg and Tom Breese, the operators of Team Renegade, while addressing the gym conflict.
He explained to The Independent that the conflict escalated when Leon Edwards and his coach had reservations about him training on the mats. Their concern was rooted in preventing “insecurities and doubts” within the gym.
Garry expressed his perplexity, given that he is not an immediate threat to Edwards as they are not currently competing for the title. He questioned the decision, considering it an opportunity missed to have elite fighters share the mats, push each other, and facilitate growth.
The conflict is a source of irritation for Garry, who is a young fighter aspiring to become the best in the world by training with the best. He originally joined Renegade to learn from the accomplished fighters in the gym, rather than specifically to train with Leon.
He elaborated on the matter, stating, “Now I’m being stopped from going to a gym, because I might potentially fight Leon in 18 months. My attitude is: If that’s the case, why not have this conversation in six months?”
Garry stressed the importance of constructive training and highlighted the collaborative aspect of the sport: “Why not train with him? Why not have him push you? Why not learn and grow from each other?”
Despite his disappointment, he commended the warm reception he received at Renegade. However, after just two days of training there, he was informed that he could not return because Leon Edwards and some of his team had objections.
He suggested that such conflicts were counterproductive and pondered why the issue couldn’t be revisited in six months. The situation has disrupted his training plans.
In the most recent event, Garry triumphed over Neil Magny via unanimous decision in August. He is set to face teammate Vicente Luque at UFC 296 in December.
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