Ian Garry is feeling extremely frustrated.
The frustration stemmed from his inability to secure a win over Michael Page at UFC 303 in Las Vegas last weekend. Despite a unanimous decision victory, the 26-year-old Irish fighter extended his unbeaten professional record to 15-0.
This marked his third consecutive decision win.
Sharing his frustration, Garry expressed to The MMA Hour, “Furious, absolutely furious. It should have been over in the first round. No second round, no third round. It should have been ‘Ian Machado Garry takes his back and submits him unconsciously.’ That’s how it should have gone. It’s been bothering me, and I have this intense feeling in my mind because that’s where the fight should have ended.”
Various critics, including UFC CEO Dana White, believed the fight was a draw.
Responding to critics, Garry added, “You need to watch the fight again. I clearly dominated the first round. The argument could be made that I won all three rounds rather than calling it a draw. First round was mine, no doubt. In the third round, I clearly had the upper hand. I even managed to land on the bottom, but I still inflicted damage. Then, I took him down, got his back, and delivered some shots. It wasn’t a significant amount of damage, but Michael Page did nothing.”
Garry acknowledges that Page may have won the second round based on points.
Page, aged 37 with a record of 22-3, shared on Instagram, “When defeat knocks, accept it as a sign that your plans need adjustment, revise those plans, and continue on towards your goal.”
Despite Garry’s victory over Page, their rankings remained unchanged in the latest official update. “The Future” retains the No. 7 spot, while “Venom” maintains No. 14. UFC matchmakers will need to make some decisions regarding their next fights after the events of UFC 303.
