Ryan Garcia wants to transition to MMA; eyes fights against Henry Cejudo and Dillon Dannis
Boxer Ryan Garcia wants to transition into the world of Mixed Martial Arts and has his sights set on two names - former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champ Henry Cejudo, and Bellator fighter Dillon Danis.
Ryan Garcia recently engaged in a verbal back and forth with Henry Cejudo, following the latter's alleged retirement from MMA back in May at UFC 249. Speaking to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani on Tuesday, Garcia once again took a sharp dig at Henry Cejudo.
Garcia claimed that he had no intention of calling out Cejudo and he in fact likes the way he fights, but after the pair's recent altercation, the former wants to knock him out inside the ring.
“The only time I’ve seen him was the fight that he had [against Dominick Cruz], when the UFC came back. I actually liked his hands a little bit. I wrote him a message. I was like ‘hey man, you’re pretty good, don’t retire, just keep going.’ All I said was ‘yo, how would he do in a fight against me?’ cause I thought his hand were good. He took it the wrong way, so I mean, now I’m going to have to knock him out. He’s a cool dude, but I’m going to knock him out.”
In the same interview, Garcia also took shots at Bellator fighter and Conor McGregor's training partner Dillon Danis. Ryan Garcia claims that Danis has unnecessarily been picking a beef with him on social media. Ryan Garcia also claimed that he initially believed Danis to be his fan.
“He’s an ugly little boy. That’s what he is. I have no idea what his beef with me is. He literally started commenting on every video I have, and I’m like ‘man, this guy’s a big fan.’ I thought he was a fan. I didn’t know who he was. I was like ‘who is this guy?’ I did a little research and I guess it’s Conor McGregor’s little dog. Something like that.”
While Ryan Garcia would have a massive advantage against both Cejudo and Danis in the boxing ring, he has surprisingly chosen the more difficult path and challenged them both to an MMA bout.
“You know what I think I would do, instead of what everybody thinks I would do? I would go in the MMA ring with them,” he said. “I would be that ballsy to do it.”