Ian Garry has emerged as a surging contender in the UFC’s Welterweight division. Ever since making his debut in 2021, the young Irishman has made a name for himself with many aboard his hype train. However, during one of his fights, fans noticed something strange about the fighter.
Previously, Ian took on Gabe Green at UFC 276 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. However, during the introduction, many were left surprised when Bruce Buffer introduced Ian as Ian ‘Machado’ Garry. Initially, many assumed that this was Ian’s new nickname. However, that was not the case as Ian still went by his original nickname, ‘The Future‘.
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As such, color commentator Jon Anik and ESPN MMA reporter Megan Olivi further dove into the matter to explain more. “His wife, Layla, is Brazilian, and Machado was her last name. She has a son who also has Machado in his name”. Further, Olivi added, “Now that they’re expecting again, they wanted to make sure that the brothers had a name in common. So that they felt they were all one big family with co-parenting. So they all added it to their name so that none felt left out”.
Initially, this was puzzling to some but on the other hand, many began making fun of the Irishman’s decision to do so. As it turns out, when people heard that Ian took his wife’s last name, they assumed that it was the name of her ex-husband. However, it is a misconception as Machado happens to be Layla Anna-Lee’s maiden name.
Ian Garry took his wife’s maiden name
For the most part, the situation may be puzzling for some. As it turns out, Ian’s wife, Layla was born as Layla Machado to a Brazilian mother and an English father of Irish and Scottish descent. Moreover, in 2014 the television presenter got married to Richard Cullen. Shortly afterward, Layla and Richard were blessed with a son named Lucas as well. Unfortunately, their union did not last long, with the two parting ways sometime later.
After that, Layla began dating Ian for a few years. Eventually, the pair also decided to tie the knot in March 2022 in Las Vegas. According to Irish tradition, as Chael Sonnen explains, it is a common practice for men to adopt their wife’s maiden name. Further, Ian and Layla welcomed their first son together named Leandro (Leo) in October 2022. Thus, all things considered, it almost became inevitable that Ian would go on to adopt the Machado name.
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However, the fighter’s decision to do so has seen some backhanded remarks from some people. For the most part, some fans were under the misconception that Machado was the surname of Layla’s ex-husband, as mentioned above. Similarly, there were others that simply did not understand the tradition and mocked Garry for taking his wife’s name when it should be the other way around.
Despite all these comments, Ian and his wife Layla both proudly wear the Machado-Garry name. Having shown that he is a strong and formidable opponent inside the Octagon, it is hard to imagine something like this bothering the Irishman. As such, Ian will look to continue his great form in the UFC, hoping to reach his eventual target of becoming champion.
Ian Garry has defended his wife against the trolls
Ian Garry is an undefeated MMA fighter from Ireland and his fighting abilities are unmatched. However, the controversy surrounding him has more to do with his wife than in-cage antics. From the former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland to a YouTuber called MMA Guru, Garry has been subjected to a lot of personal attacks by various members of the fighting game.
Defending his wife, Ian added, “When I sign up to fight, I’m putting myself in that kind of limelight, in that firing range. I have that target on my back. My wife doesn’t; my son doesn’t; my team don’t. You fire at me all you want… That’s okay, I’m in this. I get to go in and punch someone in the face and get rid of it and I get to go in and I can call you out and I can fight you and we can do this.”
It is evident that all the criticism has clearly affected the Garry family. After she gained the limelight, fans discovered that Layla Machado had previously written a book called “How to Be a WAG.” Many also speculated whether Layla’s ex-partner Richard Cullen was also living with the couple or not. Garry has dismissed all the rumors and has stayed true to his wife.