Israel Adesanya is set to “absolutely annihilate” Sean Strickland at UFC 293 according to the rising Irish fight star who could be in Auckland before the year is out as a training partner.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, undefeated Irishman Ian Machado Garry has tipped Adesanya to “piece up” Strickland in their upcoming Sydney headliner, while also revealing his readiness for a future showdown with fellow breakout welterweight, Australian Jack Della Maddalena.
Like ‘Della’, Garry is also undefeated in all five UFC appearances and is currently ranked No. 13 in the division, just one spot ahead of the Perth striker.
Yet the popular Irishman, who is also without loss in all 12 professional appearances, is now gunning for the biggest win of his career when he faces American Neil Magny at UFC 292 in Boston this Sunday (AEST).
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While the card is topped by two title fights – including a headliner between UFC bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling and the hugely popular ‘Suga’ Sean O’Malley – Garry insists he is the one “carrying this card on my back”.
He also revealed that after beating Magny this Sunday, he then wants to fight favourite Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson in Las Vegas this December – and likely off the back of training with Adesanya at his famed City Kickboxing gym.
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Asked about his prediction for UFC 293 on September 10, Garry said: “Adesanya will absolutely annihilate Sean Strickland.
“He (Strickland) doesn’t possess anywhere near the skill set.
“Doesn’t possess the intelligence or IQ, either.
“Sean’s going in there to make it a brawl, but Adesanya is far too smart for that. He will fight at his range, and his range only — that’s it.
“I don’t know when he finishes him — and that part is irrelevant, really – but it’s only a matter of time before Adesanya starts to clinically piece him up.”
Garry also revealed he has spoken with the champ about training alongside him in the near future.
“I’ve spoken to him, and talked to Eugene Bareman,” he continued, referencing the CKB head coach.
“Adesanya is absolutely someone I want to learn from.
“I’d love to sit and have conversations with him because he’s so intelligent, has so much striking knowledge that I can absorb, learn from and grow from.
“So I’m really excited to make that trip across the pond and train with him. He’s one of the best fighters I’ve ever watched.”
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Elsewhere, the Irishman was also full of praise for Maddalena, 26, who he described as “phenomenal”.
While stopping short of suggesting the two rising stars should fight, he admitted that given their undefeated runs – and current standings – it would be foolish to think there wasn’t a chance of them meeting in the future.
“I think Jack is a phenomenal talent,” Garry said.
“He’s young, talented, his striking is so clean, the world really is his oyster.
“I know his last fight (a split decision win over UFC newcomer Bassil Hafez) wasn’t the prettiest, and might have potentially shown a hole in his game.
“But that’s for his opponents to figure out.
“There are a lot of top 15 fights for Jack that are both good and bad match-ups.
“So it’s up to him to go out and prove how good he is.”
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So as for a fight between the two?
“Anyone ranked top 15 has to be looked at as a potential opponent,” he said. “And you have to be ready to accept anyone.”
Then, after a short pause, Garry cackled: “Good job Ian, that was a very smart answer wasn’t it?”
Well, we’d prefer you say you want to rip his head off?
“Yeah, of course you would,” Garry continued, still laughing.
“But look, I think the guy is phenomenal.
“And anyone who is top 15, you have to consider them a potential opponent at some time because of the way the fight game is.
“I mean, look at Jack who just had Sean Brady pull out of a fight with him.
“Then for this weekend, I’ve had a fighter (Geoff Neal) pull out. It was the same with Wonderboy recently.
“Every one of us could be turned around against another ranked guy so you’ve got to have that outlook.”
Pushed on the Wonderboy challenge, he said: “After this fight I expect to go top 10.
“Then I’ll fight again this December in Las Vegas, then bring the UFC back to Dublin.
“And I would love to fight Wonderboy.
“Prove that I’m the best striker in the welterweight division, that I can beat one of the best strikers who has ever been in the UFC.
“And whether I get him for December, or get him for Dublin, I don’t really care.
“I’ll take either option.
“Because there are also plenty of other fights I can get in the top 10.
“There are others too like Dustin Poirier and Rafael Dos Anjos who are moving up from lightweight and I’m like ‘f… me, that’s a good fight’.”
And as for reports Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler will be headlining that card? Any inside information?
“If Conor and Chandler are fighting in December, then you put me and Dustin on that same card … whoooo,” he grinned.
“But really, I don’t care who the main event is, or what other fights happen, I just want to fight this December, in Las Vegas.
“I love and adore that city.
“I got married there, my son’s middle name is Vegas … every time I fight there I love it even more.
“So I want to fight there for my own selfish reasons.
“But I’d definitely love it even more if Conor is there.”