Dana White, it seems, is still annoyed by the excessive respect shown by Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 , held on August 15th. On that occasion, the Irishman faced Islam Makhachev for the welterweight title (up to 77 kg) and ended up losing by judges' decision in a fight that, in the view of fans, experts, and even the UFC president, could have had a different outcome if the challenger had adopted a more aggressive stance.
In a post-UFC Sacramento press conference, Dana White criticized Garry's attitude, stating that the fighter should have used all five minutes of each round to try and submit Makhachev instead of showing excessive respect. The UFC president also highlighted that the Irishman may not have another opportunity to fight for the title or face the Russian again.
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“Tell him how amazing he is when they’re putting the belt on you. Ian may never have that opportunity again and probably never have the opportunity to fight Islam again,” said Dana White.
The UFC president, however, was keen to clarify that his criticism does not represent a negative assessment of Garry as a person. According to White, the Irishman is an elegant and respectful athlete, but he should set aside that demeanor during the fight and only resume it after the bout is over.
"I'm not saying anything bad about Ian. He's a classy guy, but be a nice guy when those five minutes are up. You have five minutes to finish one of the greatest of all time," concluded the UFC president.
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