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There’s a reason that trash talk is an art. That professional wrestlers are as lauded for their ability to perform on the mic every bit as much (if not more so) as they are their ability to perform inside the ring. Many of MMA’s most beloved fighters have become sensations for their press conference hijinks and post fight speeches as much as they have their top flight martial skill.
But, if some people are going to be great at a thing, others have to be absolutely awful at it. After all, how can we, as an audience, recognize greatness if we don’t also intrinsically understand when this ain’t it, champ.
Neil Magny cuts a terrible UFC 292 promo
Ever since rolling out of the Ultimate Fighter season 16, Neil Magny has worked hard to create a reputation as one of the most consistent talents inside the UFC Octagon. He got his first spot in the UFC rankings all the way back in 2015, following a seven-fight unbeaten run. And he’s been a fixture there ever since, keeping the gates to the welterweight division’s most elite talent.
What he’s never been in that time, is a man known for his trash talk. Now we know why.
In a media day interview for his upcoming bout at UFC 292, Magny took a swipe at his upcoming opponent, Ian Garry, saying that he was gearing up to “whoop” the Irishman like, “the whooping you give your son.” Magny quickly clarified the remark, noting that he’s become very accustomed to giving “that kind of whooping” now that he’s a father.
“There’s the whooping that you give somebody in high school or in grade school,” Magny explained to the attending media. “Was when, ‘He talkin’ about my mom!’ And you put a beating on him there. And there’s a whooping that you give your son, now. Like, to kinda teach him life, a little bit. Being a father, I’ve become quite accustomed to that kind of whooping now. That’s the kind of whooping I’m looking forward to giving [Ian Machado Garry] on Saturday.”
Whether people want to believe this means Neil Magny hits his kids or not, I think we can all agree it’s just about the weakest, most miserable fight promotion imaginable. Does this man not have sparring partners he can dominate? I know it’s been five years since he picked up a knockout, but surely he’s at least winning some rounds in the gym.
Ian Machado Garry posts response video
Unsurprisingly, once Neil Magny’s opponent got wind of this statement, he had a lot to say about it. Having modeled so much of his career after Irish UFC superstar Conor McGregor, Garry hasn’t been shy about making public statements. Magny’s lamentably bad promo was the perfect opportunity.
“Bro, he just sat there and said, ‘Being a father’—word, for word, ‘Being a father I’ve got accustomed to giving that ass whooping.'”
“Oh my goodness,” Garry continued, picking up his own son, “I would never whoop your ass. I would never whoop your ass. It’s okay. Do you want me to beat him up? I’ll beat him up, because apparently he beat his son up.”
Garry and Magny will meet on the PPV portion of this Saturday’s UFC 292 fight card. The event is set to be headlined by a pair of title fights, with bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling set to defend his belt against Sean O’Malley, and women’s strawweight champ Weili Zhang putting her crown on the line against Amanda Lemos. Hopefully the build up will include a lot less of Neil Magny’s version of trash talk.
Support for survivors of domestic violence can be found from the following organizations:
- USA – The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
- Canada – DAWN-RAFH Canada
- UK and Ireland – Women’s Aid: 0808-2000-247
- Rest of the World – HotPeachPages
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