Staying out of controversy seems like a tough task for the Machado-Garry household lately. Just last month, in case you missed it, UFC rising welterweight Ian Garry bounced back into the win column after his 15-fight undefeated streak was snapped by Shavkat Rakhmonov. At UFC Kansas City, ‘The Future’ made a gritty return, edging out “The Fighting Nerd” Carlos Prates in a hard-fought five-round war, ultimately winning via unanimous decision. But before that comeback moment, drama was already brewing.

Ian Garry had reignited tensions with fellow welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley. ‘New Mansa’ appeared at the ceremonial weigh-ins seemingly prepared to confront the Irishman, but instead came face-to-face with Garry’s wife, Layla Machado Garry—who was holding their baby at the time. According to Buckley, she used the child as a “shield.” A viral clip shows Layla grabbing Buckley’s arm, and according to him, she told him, “I’ma see you later on tonight,” a comment that only escalated things further.

Surprisingly, it was Joaquin Buckley who caught the majority of the backlash for the encounter, with many criticizing his behavior leading up to Ian Garry’s fight with Prates. Now, Buckley is pushing back. In a recent conversation with Perry Punch, Buckley addressed the criticism head-on:

“I seen all the comments that people making. A lot of people felt like it was disrespectful. A lot of people felt like it was mean.” He didn’t mince words, pointing the finger back at the Garry camp: “They not innocent. They done caused a lot of damage. Don’t be trying to feel sorry for them like they not the ones that didn’t put it out there too.”

“Buckley made his stance clear, emphasizing that his actions were part of the game: “I’m not just attacking anybody. They say they about that noise. They about promoting, then I got some promotion for your ass,” he concluded.

Now, riding a seven-fight win streak since dropping from middleweight to welterweight and entering the title mix, The Missouri native feels he’s being made the scapegoat. He claims that Ian Garry and his wife, Layla Machado Garry, used him to hype their fight by repeatedly bringing up his name in interviews.

However, Ian Garry has firmly denied these accusations. Here’s what ‘The Future’ had to say.

What is Ian Garry’s take on Joaquin Buckley’s accusations?

Although Layla Machado Garry penned “How to Be a WAG” some time ago, focusing mainly on style, paparazzi, makeup, and similar topics, the way it was interpreted—especially because of its title—drew widespread attention and made her an easy target for the Irishman’s opponents. Many used Layla as a tool for character attacks, viewing her as a vulnerability or distraction for Ian, a future champion.

Rather than going after Ian directly, his rivals have frequently targeted his wife, as seen before with Colby Covington, Sean Strickland, and now more recently Joaquin Buckley, who brought up the issue during their fight buildup. This prompted Ian Garry to finally speak out a few weeks ago. While acting as a backup fighter for Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315, ‘The Future’  told Ariel Helwani about the ‘New Mansa’ incident, saying, “It’s just desperation. That’s all it is. It’s quite sad. He can’t generate enough talk about himself by doing the stuff he does, so he needs to try to piggyback off other people. It’s ok though. Let him be him.”

What’s your take on Joaquin Buckley’s claims? Do you think the ‘new man’ is to blame, or was Layla Machado Garry the one who outsmarted him? Share your thoughts below.