Media Ian Garry not interested in fight vs MVP: "His number's (ranking) not higher than mine"

[Mohawk Banditó]

Nope. This is the problem that amateurs don't understand about rankings. They are near impossible to get right. This is due to the statistical problem of small sample size.

Abstract example: Fighter A ranked #20 beats Fighter B ranked #5. This is one fight. The #5 ranked fighter could have just had a bad night, or it could have been a bad matchup. Do you then rank Fighter A at #5, and move Fighter B down to #6? That doesn't really make a whole lot of sense. In reality you should drop Fighter B down several spots first, and then move Fighter A ahead of them. In this case, Fighter B should be moved outside of the top 10, and Fighter A should be ranked #10. Anything else risks over-ranking Fighter A. Sadly, that just doesn't happen very often.

Geoff Neil beat Ponzinibio who was ranked #27 at the time according to independent rankings, and he beat Luque ranked at #6, and all of a sudden a few months later Goeff Neil is ranked #6 basically off just 1 win. That's a bad ranking. And it's a result of extreme ranking changes due to small sample size. Neil went from being ranked #27 to ranked #6 in early 2023. He then promptly lost to Shavkat who was ranked #28 at the time. Now, we know Shavkat is the real deal now -- but we didn't know it at the time. The instant Neil lost to #28 Shavkat, he should have been demoted on the rankings by at least 5 spots, outside of the top 10. But somehow stupidly Neil retained a #8 ranking after that loss.

And that is how Ian Garry got into the top 10, by beating Geoff Neil who never should have been ranked above #10 to begin with, and should have been moved down to about #15 after losing to Shavkat. If I am right, Ian Garry is going to get destroyed when he fights a legit top 10 fighter.

Divisional rankings are, always have been, and always should be based on title proximity, not perceived skill level, like this independent ranked does (for example, they will also rank non UFC welterweights, which has nothing to do with getting a UFC title shot, so it doesn't matter). So yeah. No fucking duh beating a #6 will usually make you #6. I guess in all your years, you hadn't figured that out yet? Ya amateur

Also, stop mixing up Neal and Neil. It's hard enough telling you you're wrong, now you're just making it harder for us to tell you exactly what you're wrong about

 

[Trabaho]

Someone email him you get cool points for winning fights vs lower ranks too. It's a big fight and would teleport him forward. Into a title eliminator. Shots are also fame based. That fight would be hype.

 

[TriangleMonkey]

‘Course he don’t wanna get out-sniped LoL

 

[Hdfi]

Colby and then Strickland. The MVP fight doesn't make sense.

 

[storeybuckle]

Of course he doesn't want MVP. MVP has too much of a chance of making him look stupid or putting his lights out.

MVP doesn’t deserve sh*t (not an Ian Machado fan either)

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

I get that 2 surging people might have to fight and timing definitely plays into it. The pickings just get slimmer the higher you get. For instance, I wouldn't be too off put if Leon-Belal, Usman-Shavkat, and Colby-Burns ended up forcing JDM vs Garry. Yeah, JDM is a on a huge streak too and higher than Garry, but with the top booked, the contenders may need to knock each other off. . but MVP just isn't up there.

I mean, yeah Garry won a split decision (though that's more a statement on the judges than Garry), but I don't recall the MVP-Holland fight blowing socks off either. I hadn't watched it, or if I did, it wasn't with much interest, but I remember a few people in the PBP thread saying he was underwhelming, kept running, and lots of people pointing out how Kevin really lost the fight and wasn't performing. So I'm just not following how anyone is acting like he has any momentum other than "What a name the UFC just got, the #3 Bellator WW!" He's got to put in SOME work.

Yeah, it just seems like Usman might not even be a WW right now. I've heard rumors about him wanting another MW fight and at his age I wouldn't be surprised if he was at the point where he isn't in it to get the WW belt back but to make money so that might be a factor in pushing him out of WW fights that could determine at WW contender.

I like the match ups you picked but would rather see Shavkat vs JDM. In that scenario Garry could fight someone like Wonderboy or MVP if the UFC really wants that match up on the UK card and throw extra money at Garry to take it. It wouldn't do too much for him ranking wise unless he beat him on the feet but it could make him a lot more popular.

 

[CatchtheseHands]

MVP doesn’t deserve sh*t (not an Ian Machado fan either)

Lol MVP is already ranked #13. Ian showing no interest in fighting MVP when he's only a good win or 2 away from being deserving is not a good look for him at all and shows that he'll be actively ducking him when the time comes.

 

[blaseblase]

Someone email him you get cool points for winning fights vs lower ranks too. It's a big fight and would teleport him forward. Into a title eliminator. Shots are also fame based. That fight would be hype.

It wouldn't teleport him anywhere. He has the opportunity to fight Colby next. It would be insane to take a step down to the level of opponent he's already beaten 3 times already. There's zero reason to do that.

There are 3 contenders ahead of him for a title shot right now. Belal, Shavkat, and Della Maddalena. Fighting and beating MVP wouldn't change that dynamic or even his ranking. He would just be the guy who exposed the can crusher and would still have to fight someone like Colby after that. And if he lost? He'd be out of the top 10 and have to work his way back up. If you were him and took that fight you'd be an idiot.

 

[Local Plata]

If you think fighter's wins shouldn't matter and fighters who get wins should be punished by moving further from their goal, then I got bad news about who has the learning disability, my guy.

And no one is struggling with that "basic concept" but you

That was responding to the other guy. My point this entire time is that Garry shouldn't be dismissing a fight with MVP as being 'below' him. Obviously a fight with Colby is more desirable, but both are viable options. This incessant 'I only fight guys above me' shit is getting old, considering in most divisions ranks 4-15 are pretty much interchangeable unless they have actually fought each other. Instead of good matchups, you get these guys only taking fights against guys tumbling down the rankings rather than other guys climbing as well. If it were an actual ranking system and not just whatever the UFC decides, it would be more of a moot point, but having guys hold high rankings eg. Colby despite not doing anything kind of fucks things up.

Beating Colby or MVP will undoubtedly move Garry up the ranks and if his contention is he wants to move up the rankings, and not the obvious 'i want a big bump up fighting a fucking clown with an inflated ranking', he should be open to fighting MVP as well.

 

[blaseblase]

I like the match ups you picked but would rather see Shavkat vs JDM. In that scenario Garry could fight someone like Wonderboy or MVP if the UFC really wants that match up on the UK card and throw extra money at Garry to take it. It wouldn't do too much for him ranking wise unless he bear him on the feet but it could make him a lot more popular.

You guys are overselling how popular MVP is. He's got 700k Instagram followers. Garry has 500k. They aren't drastically far apart. And Garry's profile has been growing with each win just by fighting his way up.

And Colby has 1 million Instagram followers. So the popularity point is moot since fighting Colby would do more for him both in terms of ranking AND in terms of popularity.

 

[Ironheart]

If everyone only ever fought guys with a higher rank than theirs, there would never be another fight, ever.

Garry needs his ego checked.

 

[Tapatio]

 

[Ares Black]

If everyone only ever fought guys with a higher rank than theirs, there would never be another fight, ever.

Garry needs his ego checked.

Yeah, but traditional matchmaking logic is that fighters on win streaks fight up and fighters who just lost fight down.

 

[arcadeperfect]

This will make me care about Ian Garry now. NOT.

How are you going to play the heel with barely any body knowing who you are.

He's gotta be the most underwhelming "prospect" since Darren Till.

 

[Mohawk Banditó]

Yeah, it just seems like Usman might not even be a WW right now. I've heard rumors about him wanting another MW fight and at his age I wouldn't be surprised if he was at the point where he isn't in it to get the WW belt back but to make money so that might be a factor in pushing him out of WW fights that could determine at WW contender.

I like the match ups you picked but would rather see Shavkat vs JDM. In that scenario Garry could fight someone like Wonderboy or MVP if the UFC really wants that match up on the UK card and throw extra money at Garry to take it. It wouldn't do too much for him ranking wise unless he bear him on the feet but it could make him a lot more popular.

THAT'S the second biggest problem with rankings imo, that rankers don't know where fighters should be. If Usman is sticking at MW, he shouldn't be in WW (Andrade has had 3 straight SW fights and she's still the #5 FW). The biggest being babyish contenders by not penalizing losses and squatting enough.

I'd prefer Shav vs JDM too, I just threw out a hypothetical about how it's harder to beg and choose for opponents the higher you get, cuz sometimes you're just left holding the remains. I'm still doubtful on the transfer of fans though.

 

[Ares Black]

He's gotta be the most underwhelming "prospect" since Darren Till.

Disagree. Garry is really damn good and getting better.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

THAT'S the second biggest problem with rankings imo, that rankers don't know where fighters should be. If Usman is sticking at MW, he shouldn't be in WW (Andrade has had 3 straight SW fights and she's still the #5 FW). The biggest being babyish contenders by not penalizing losses and squatting enough.

I'd prefer Shav vs JDM too, I just threw out a hypothetical about how it's harder to beg and choose for opponents the higher you get, cuz sometimes you're just left holding the remains. I'm still doubtful on the transfer of fans though.

I don't think the transfer of fans would be the big reason. The UK seems to really support their fighters especially if they can get a really big win or an entertaining one in the UK.

Edwards seems like a much bigger draw in the UK now than he was a few fights ago and this kind of a fight could do something similar for Garry depending on if he wins and how. It's really hard to say who's going to end up fighting who though but I would like some combination of MVP, Wonderboy, Garry, Neal and Luque to fight.

Colby should fight down in the rankings against either Burns or Brady.

 

[Thepaintbucket]

He's gotta be the most underwhelming "prospect" since Darren Till.

Good comparison lol. But in all seriousness I really do wonder how popular he is with casuals. We are talking about a super boring guy here who is trying to make his way up the UFC ranks. Garry isn't the most likable guy. He does not produce memorable fights. His antics aren't entertaining at all. Colby also had a hard time selling his branding and I'm not quite sure if you can genuinely call him a poor man's Covington even.

 

[Ares Black]

Good comparison lol. But in all seriousness I really do wonder how popular he is with casuals. We are talking about a super boring guy here who is trying to make his way up the UFC ranks. Garry isn't the most likable guy. He does not produce memorable fights. His antics aren't entertaining at all. Colby also had a hard time selling his branding and I'm not quite sure if you can genuinely call him a poor man's Covington even.

I dunno man, his destruction of DRod was pretty impressive, and he beat Neil Magny pillar to post and made it look easy.

 

[blaseblase]

I don't think the transfer of fans would be the big reason. The UK seems to really support their fighters especially if they can get a really big win or an entertaining one in the UK.

Edwards seems like a much bigger draw in the UK now than he was a few fights ago and this kind of a fight could do something similar for Garry depending on if he wins and how. It's really hard to say who's going to end up fighting who though but I would like some combination of MVP, Wonderboy, Garry, Neal and Luque to fight.

Colby should fight down in the rankings against either Burns or Brady.

I don't know why you keep ducking Colby v Garry. Colby and Burns are both gatekeepers to the top 5, they shouldn't be fighting each other and avoiding the young guys. Colby v Garry and Burns v Brady makes perfect sense.