Ian Machado Garry should focus on his fight career and not his fame outside of the cage, according to the coach of newly-crowned UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena.
The Australian, 28, became the 13th 170-pound champion in UFC history earlier this month when he dethroned Belal Muhammad by unanimous judges’ decision in the main event of UFC 315 in Montreal.
As such, a variety of the division’s top contenders are seeking to position themselves to be the next man up after ex-lightweight champion Islam Makhachev gets the first crack at JDM later this year.
Among the most likely contenders are the unbeaten Kazakh Shavkat Rakhmonov, Sean Brady and Ireland’s Ian Machado Garry – but according to Della Maddalena’s head coach, Ben Vickers, the latter has his priorities in the wrong order.
“We’re not in this business to be celebrities, and Jack said in his post-fight speech, we just want to win fights and be the best,” Vickers told Submission Radio, as noted by MMA Junkie.
“Jack loves scrapping. Jack loves training. We all love the sport and the process. He can carry on doing his thing. He should concentrate more on finishing fights, especially fights that he’s dominating.”
Machado Garry has been a somewhat controversial figure since entering the UFC in late 2021, winning nine of his ten fights to date in the Octagon – most recently beating the Brazilian striker Carlos Prates by decision to enhance his own title prospects.
But Vickers says that Machado Garry will never get close to a UFC championship if he continues to court attention outside of the cage.
“He needs to stop flying around the world trying to be a celebrity, and get in the gym and get some power and figure out how to finish fights. His time would be better spent doing that than trying to wind Jack up,” he said.
“You think Jack’s going to bite on any of that stuff? He doesn’t care, man. He’s the most chilled-out dude in the world. So, yeah, it’s all just a bit silly really. I don’t think Ian Garry will ever own [a UFC championship], answer to your question.”
