Ian Garry evidently rubs some people within the broader MMA community in a particular way and that even extends to some of his fellow combative compatriots from Ireland. The combatant in question is Will Fleury who touched on Garry’s UFC welterweight title fight at UFC 330 versus sitting champ Islam Makhachev before his own title clash during a Bowks Talking Bouts interview.

The Oktagon MMA heavyweight champion was a two division OKMMA titleholder but Fleury is now on the heels of losing his light heavyweight crown to Makhmud Muradov in his most recent contest. Fleury had mentioned during his BTB appearance some of the public perception conflicts with MMA in Ireland and how many civilians over there perceive the sport poorly because of Conor McGregor’s public image.

When asked if Garry could be a fighter who embodies more of a positive partisan image of an MMA fighter for Irish people to latch onto, Fleury said [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

“Yeah, it’s another funny one. Like as in; I really want to like Ian [laughter]. I really want to get behind him cuz I want to support the Irish fighters. But he makes it f***ing hard sometimes. So like I’m good. Like I would love; like he’s done great things in fighting. That’s the funny thing. It’s like, man, he’s gone out there and he’s beaten guys. Like, if you look at the Carlos Prates fight and like I want to be able to get behind him and I want him to give me something to be able to get behind.”

“I’m hoping in the build up to this, we’ll see a little bit more like genuine talk from him because like I just feel like a lot of the time when he’s speaking, it’s not from his heart… But like I have no issue with Ian Garry. Like look, I suppose it seems like Irish fighters aren’t really supporting each other right now, but I just feel like the two guys, we have a lot of brilliant fighters and they’re getting very little recognition.”

“Okay, none of those have gone and done the things that Conor [McGregor] and Ian have gone and done, but like; and I don’t want to lump Conor and Ian into the same boat because they’re very different people. But I feel like the values of martial arts are not being represented that well by some of the bigger stars out of the country [laughter]. Yeah, look, I don’t want to be some f***ing puritan either, but it is just like I want to get behind Ian Garry.”

“I really do. He hasn’t done anything that would ever stop like from; he hasn’t done anything yet that would be like, oh, I’m never going to support this guy. But just a lot of the takes that I’ve seen him give online. A lot of the interviews I’ve seen, it’s just like it doesn’t seem like you’re being sincere. It doesn’t feel like this is something I can really buy into and put my heart into. Like really be like, “Alright, come on Ian. You’re our guy. Let’s go. I’m finding it hard. I’ll be honest.”

Ian Garry isn’t “being who he is” per Fleury: “It’s just the lack of being genuine”

While trying to articulate a balanced take on Garry’s fighting skillset but also addressing how his public persona comes across to him, Fleury stated [via Bowks Talking Bouts],

“But in fairness, he’s a good martial artist. We can’t say he’s not. It’s just the lack of being genuine and the lack of like just standing for f***ing what a good martial artist should represent. Look, I’m being too up me own arse with this stuff. But like I think you owe the fans to be who you are. I don’t feel like Ian Garry is being who he is.”

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