‘Don’t Ever Project Your Pain Onto Me And My Family Again’

Ian Machado Garry was amused by Sean Strickland’s recent thoughts on his back-and-forth with Dricus Du Plessis last month (Dec. 15, 2023).

Strickland, 32, is as vocal as any fighter in mixed martial arts (MMA) when it comes to all topics imaginable. That includes family, which Ultimate Fighting Championship‘s (UFC) Middleweight champion recently went after in the case of Garry and his wife, Layla Anna-Lee.

After a decade-old book authored by Anna-Lee titled, How to be a WAG, surfaced online in late 2023, it opened up the family to tons of negativity from the community. Strickland, in particular, called out the couple and received lawsuit threats from the undefeated 13-0 Welterweight contender as a result. Ahead of his upcoming UFC 297 clash with Dricus Du Plessis this month (Sat., Jan. 20, 2024), Strickland admitted to being bothered by his opponent’s comments about his childhood, stating such things are “off limits.” Catching wind of the sentiment, Garry flipped the script.

“How the tables have turned,” Garry commented on MMA Fighting’s Instagram post. “You dish it out in the lowest most vile manner but can’t take a pinch. You attacked my wife incessantly and obsessively calling her a peadofile, it’s clear to see your childhood trauma showing. You claimed you were ‘giving me advice’ before, well now it’s my turn to return the favor. You should shut your mouth [zipper mouth emoji] and focus on the mirror because you have enough serious issues you need to solve. I wish you all the best with them. Don’t ever project your pain onto me and my family again. Happy New Year [party and kiss emojis].”

Garry was originally set to compete during the week Strickland and Du Plessis had their blow-up at UFC 296 last month (Dec. 16, 2023). Unfortunately for “The Future,” he was knocked out of his bout with Vicente Luque via a case of pneumonia, leading him to a rebooking with Geoff Neal for UFC 298 next month (Sat., Feb. 17, 2024).