Rising welterweight contender Ian Garry has disclosed that he’s been barred from training at Leon Edwards’ gym. This move came after the welterweight champion and his coach reportedly made the decision to ban Garry from Team Renegade.
The undefeated Irishman competes in the 170-pound division. He found himself at odds with Dave Lovell, Edwards’ coach.
Lovell allegedly expressed concerns about Garry potentially instilling “doubts” or “insecurities” in the welterweight.
In an exclusive interview with The Independent, the 25-year-old shed light on the situation. He stated:
“Leon Edwards, his head coach, asked me not to come back to Renegade; told me I’m not allowed to train there… Leon and his head coach had an issue with me training on the mats and recently have asked me not to train there because Leon doesn’t want any insecurities or doubts on his own mats within the gym, which I don’t fully understand.”
Naturally, Garry is disheartened by the loss of the opportunity to train at Team Renegade, an institution he regards as the best MMA gym in the UK. He expressed his sentiments, saying:
“Renegade is the best gym in the UK. I went there to learn from the guys around Birmingham and who have essentially proven that it’s the best gym in the UK. I didn’t go there to train with Leon, I went there to train with that gym, because they’re amazing.”
Garry last showcased his skills at UFC 292 in April, securing a unanimous decision victory over Neil Magny. In his upcoming octagon appearance, he is set to face his teammate Vicente Luque at UFC 296 in December.
Leon Edwards is slated to lock horns with former two-time welterweight title challenger Colby Covington at UFC 296. Garry holds the belief that Edwards poses a formidable challenge to the American opponent.
Garry does not take Covington very seriously as it was apparent in an interview with Nik Hobbs of Sky Sports. He stated:
“Leon Edwards absolutely annihilates Colby Covington. Colby Covington is s**t… He gets so much credit for losing. Let me tell yo now, Colby Covington is not what he wants people to make him out to be. Leon Edwards is going to just dispose [of] him in that octagon.”