WATCH: Conor McGregor releases footage of sparring session with compatriot Ian Garry after dinner photo goes viral
Ian Garry has been widely regarded as Conor McGregor's heir apparent since the beginning of his UFC career. 'The Future' doesn't seem to mind the comparisons, borrowing frequently enough from McGregor's trash-talking handbook, much to the ire of fans.
Garry also appears to be developing a bond with McGregor as the two were recently seen having dinner at the Black Forge Inn owned by 'Notorious'. The duo also had a sparring session, footage of which was subsequently uploaded by 'Notorious'.
The 30 seconds of sparring in the clip mostly involve leg kicks from 'Machado', including a hard one to the body. Meanwhile, McGregor can be seen trying to find an opening to close the distance before slightly styling on Garry with a spinning wheel kick. Hinting at a potential 'passing of the torch' moment, Conor McGregor wrote on Instagram:
"Lineage š®šŖš„@ufc"
Following in Conor McGregor's footsteps, Ian Garry wants to bring the UFC back to Ireland
The UFC hasn't been to Ireland since Conor McGregor knocked out Diego Brandao at the 3Arena in Dublin in 2014. The Dubliner had earned himself a headliner in his own backyard after defeating Max Holloway in Boston, which is notable for its Irish-American population.
In a very similar storyline, Ian Garry scored a dominant decision against veteran welterweight contender Neil Magny at the TD Garden in Boston at UFC 292 last month. 'The Future' is now plotting a main event in front of an Irish home crowd, like his predecessor. The 25-year-old told talkSPORT going into UFC 292:
"That has always been the plan, to get a fight in Ireland and bring the UFC back to Dublin. Iām excited for it to come to fruition, and I believe that this is the cherry on the cake. The Irish influence in Boston just shows the world how incredibly powerful Irish MMA is and I am.ā
Currently looking unstoppable with a perfect 13-0 record, Garry has also called out surging Chechen-born Swede finishing machine, Khamzat Chimaev.
Meanwhile, Conor McGregor's return remains hanging with the Irishman repeatedly teasing a December outing despite not having entered the USADA testing pool.