Machado Garry Credits Vegan Diet for Makhachev Title Shot
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- Ian Machado Garry adopted a vegan diet five years ago after his immune system was depleted during weight cuts, leaving him repeatedly sick with bugs and infections.
- Machado Garry has gone 9-1 since the dietary switch, crediting it with the recovery and conditioning that earned him a title shot against Islam Makhachev at UFC 330 in Philadelphia on August 15.
- Machado Garry says the plant-based diet let him accept short-notice bouts against Carlos Prates and Shavkat Rakhmonov, fights he claims pre-vegan he could not have taken on seven days' notice.
- A win over Makhachev would make Machado Garry the first Irish UFC champion since Conor McGregor and give him 11 octagon victories, overtaking McGregor's tally.
- On his 11th fight as a vegan, Machado Garry reports no injuries, no soft-tissue problems, and says his output and recovery have been "second to none."
- Machado Garry has partnered with animal rights charity PETA and wants a title to amplify his environmental message, telling BBC Sport this summer's UK heatwave shows the stakes of human dietary choices.
- Machado Garry is rejecting the brash-macho UFC archetype, telling BBC Sport there's "too much toxic masculinity" and a champion should model respect for women, animals, and the planet.
Why it matters: A win makes Machado Garry Ireland's first UFC champion since Conor McGregor, surpassing McGregor with 11 octagon victories, while denying Makhachev a UFC-record 17th consecutive win. Even a loss leaves the 28-year-old inside the welterweight title picture, but the first-Irish-champion-since-McGregor distinction only attaches to victory on August 15.
