'Keep Layla's name out your mouth': Ian Machado Garry returns fire at Colby Covington with 'I Quit' challenge
Ian Machado Garry says Colby Covington can take his stipulations, crumple them up, and throw them out the trash.
In a response video Sunday, Garry (14-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) went off on Covington (17-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) and issued a challenge of his own. Garry didn’t take kindly to Covington’s objectivization of his wife, Layla.
“Colby ‘Chaos’ Covington, you’re in no position to tell me what I should be doing in life,” Garry said in a video on Instagram. “You’ll do as you’re told. You gave me three stipulations – all of which have nothing to do about fighting. They were all talking about my wife. I don’t know how you were raised but women aren’t property and my wife definitely ain’t no trophy. You should be focusing on me. I’m the one who is in that Octagon with you. I’m the one who’s going to punch a hole in your head. So stop swerving me and keep Layla’s name out your mouth. You’re not America’s favorite fighter. What you are is a peak under-performer. You’re the only person in UFC history to lose three world title fights, and you haven’t got a single win against anybody in the top 15 right now.”
Garry called for a fight vs. Covington after his win over Geoff Neal at UFC 298 in February. Covington most recently competed in a failed title bid vs. Leon Edwards at UFC 296 in December.
Following Garry’s callout, Covington responded with a video, in which he said he’d accept the challenge – but only if Garry opened his Instagram comments, Layla begged him to fight, and Layla featured in one of his videos.
Garry thinks he has a better idea than that. With a callout more commonly found in TKO Group Holdings Inc.’s WWE than UFC, Garry challenged Covington to an “I Quit” match.
“So Colby, why should I fight you? I can think of one reason,” Garry said. “I challenge you to an ‘I Quit’ match, where one of us has to say, ‘I quit.’ And whoever says the words, ‘I quit,’ has to retire, gloves off, center of the Octagon. Sayonara, my friend. I’m going to be the final chapter in your legacy of failure. I am going to rid the UFC of Colby Covington for good and I’m going to make MMA great again.”
Garry, 26, has yet to lose as a professional. UFC wins include Neal, Neil Magny, and Daniel Rodriguez among others.
Covington, 36, has only competed three times since November 2021. He’s 0-3 in UFC title fights, including the loss to Edwards and two to Kamaru Usman. He’s won twice since 2020, against Tyron Woodley and Jorge Masvidal.