Demetrious Johnson Urges Ian Garry to Develop a Killer Instinct

MMA legends Demetrious Johnson and Israel Adesanya recently sat down on their podcast to talk about Ian Garry’s performance against Islam Makhachev at UFC 330. During the chat, Johnson agreed with Dana White, saying that the young Irish star lacked the raw aggression and "killer instinct" needed to take the world title.

Johnson pointed out that Garry plays it a bit too safe. Instead of taking big risks and stepping directly into the fire, he tends to stay on the defensive. According to "Mighty Mouse," the very best fighters know how to force their will onto an opponent, rather than just reacting to what the other guy is doing.

The stats actually back up Johnson's critique. A look at the record books shows that Garry has not finished an opponent in his last seven fights. His last stoppage victory inside the cage happened over three years ago, back in May 2023, when he stopped Daniel Rodriguez in the first round. Since then, every single one of his fights has gone to a decision.

Still, Johnson made it clear that he thinks Garry is an incredible talent. At just 28 years old, the challenger has plenty of time on his side to grow. But if he wants to win a belt, he will have to fight with a much more aggressive edge.