Ian Garry Worried About Family’s Safety Ahead of UFC 296

Irish prospect Ian Garry is worried about the safety of his family in the United States after having received a lot of flak from American fighters in recent times.

Garry came under scrutiny after fans dug up a book written by his wife, Layla Anna-Lee, in 2010. Anna-Lee, who is 14 years Garry’s senior, is the author of an 11-page booklet, “How to be a WAG,” which advises women on the best way to seek out relationships with rich and famous athletes.

Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight champ Sean Strickland, who is known for his unabashed opinions, subsequently advised Garry to immediately separate from his wife on social media. The Irishman did not take to Strickland’s comments kindly, leading to a drawn-out online feud. Garry also allegedly stared at Strickland during a run-in at the UFC Performance Institute, which prompted the middleweight champ to ask him to slide into his DMs if he wanted things “handled.”

Personal life aside, Garry has also been called out by multiple fighters for his overall demeanor in the gym as well as his alleged insistence on having a camera on him at all times. “The Future” is also barred from Leon Edwards’ Team Renegade, which is reportedly not the only gym in the UK where he’s not allowed. While the Irishman initially claimed to have been thrown out over Edwards’ “insecurities,” the welterweight champ later revealed that Garry simply wasn't a good fit.

Garry is now scheduled to fight former Kill Cliff FC teammate Vicente Luque at UFC 296 on Dec. 16 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Garry, who is currently training at Chute Boxe Academy in Brazil, claims to be completely unfazed by the fight itself but fears for the safety of his family in the States due to recent events.

“I’m excited for UFC 296. I think it’s a massive card, a card with all the big names, a lot of big matchups. I’m a little bit cautious about going to America for the safety of my family with all the s—t that’s been going on online. To protect my wife, to protect my child, to protect myself,” Garry told TNT Sports.

“I’m not remotely concerned or worried about the fight. The fight’s fun. The fight’s easy for me. It’s always something I enjoy, it’s something I love. The press conferences, weigh-ins, everything. I love it. It’s energy. I thrive off it – but me not being able to react to people in person, it’s going to wind me up a little bit.”