Apr 26, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, UNITED STATES; Ian Machado Garry (red gloves) prepares to fight Carlos Prates (not pictured) during UFC Fight Night at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images

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Ian Garry Fires Back At Sean Brady’s Criticism For Wanting To Fight Former Champion

Ian Garry responds to Sean Brady's criticism that he is ducking him and wanting to fight Belal Muhammad instead!

The latest beef in the welterweight division involves two rising contenders who can’t agree on who should fight whom. Ian Garry has been making waves lately with his impressive performances and bold callouts. The Irish striker has been climbing the rankings steadily, picking up quality wins and building his reputation as a future title threat. Meanwhile, Sean Brady has been grinding his way up the ladder too, looking for that one big fight that could launch him into championship conversations.

Things got spicy recently when Brady called out Garry for allegedly ducking him in favor of chasing bigger names. Brady wanted to settle their business after Garry’s recent victory, but the Irishman had other plans. Instead of accepting Brady’s challenge, Garry set his sights on former champion Belal Muhammad, who currently sits at the top of the welterweight rankings. This didn’t sit well with Brady, who accused Garry of being selective with his opponents. The accusation clearly struck a nerve with Garry, who fired back with some serious heat.

Ian Garry And Sean Brady’s War Of Words

Sean Brady’s frustration with Garry comes from a place most fighters understand. He’s been putting in work, collecting wins, and waiting for his shot at a marquee opponent. He recently beat former champion Leon Edwards. When Garry started gaining momentum, Brady saw an opportunity for a fight that could benefit both men. Garry himself was coming off a win over Carlos Prates. A clash between two near-undefeated welterweights would generate serious buzz and potentially earn the winner a title shot.

But Garry had different ideas about his career trajectory. The Irish fighter has always been vocal about wanting the biggest fights possible. Brady didn’t appreciate this approach and called Garry out publicly. He suggested that Garry was being selective and avoiding tough matchups in favor of bigger names.

Garry wasn’t about to let Brady’s comments slide without a response. The Irish fighter came back swinging. He made it clear that his interest in fighting Belal Muhammad wasn’t about avoiding anyone. Belal is a former champion who currently holds the number one ranking in the division. More importantly, Belal has a knockout victory over Brady himself.

“Sean Brady apparently saying I’m avoiding him by calling out Belal. I’m calling out Belal cos he’s a former champ that is currently ranked no 1 and KOed You! But if you wanted it I’m in – I’ve never said no to anyone and everyone knows that.”

Sean Brady apparently saying I’m avoiding him by calling out Belal 😂 I’m calling out Belal cos he’s a former champ that is currently ranked no 1 and KOed You!
But if you wanted it I’m in – I’ve never said no to anyone and everyone knows that. pic.twitter.com/dFcruhPETU
— “The Future” Ian Machado Garry (@iangarryMMA) June 14, 2025

Garry essentially argued that if Brady couldn’t handle Muhammad, why should he waste his time fighting Brady when he could go straight to the source? But, the Irish prospect is willing to step in if Brady wants to fight. This could be a major fight for the UFC to make. Two rising stars duking it out for a possible shot at the title!

(Image Credit: William Purnell – Imagn Images)

Belal Muhammad

Ian Garry

Sean Brady

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!