Ian Machado Garry Goes Plant-Based With PETA Before UFC 330 Title Shot
Ian Machado Garry is putting his diet front and center before the biggest fight of his career. The Irish welterweight has joined forces with PETA for its new “The Future Is Vegan” campaign ahead of his UFC 330 title challenge against Islam Makhachev on August 15 in Philadelphia.
The Irish-born UFC athlete appears in a video spot promoting plant-based eating, with the 28-year-old saying his switch has changed how he trains and recovers. “Before I was plant-based, I was strong. But now, I’m on another level,” he says in the campaign, linking the lifestyle to his endurance, discipline and focus. The message has also been placed on advertising en route to Philadelphia’s Xfinity Mobile Arena, where UFC 330 takes place.
This is a campaign partnership rather than an announcement that Garry has become a PETA employee or formal member of the organization. Still, he has become one of the group’s latest athlete ambassadors, using the title-fight build-up to make his dietary approach part of the conversation.
Garry has been vegan for five years and says the change came after issues with illness, weight management and training camps. He believes his recovery improved after moving away from animal products, and says he has won nine of 10 bouts since making the switch. He is set to make his 11th appearance as a vegan against Makhachev, telling BBC Sport he has avoided soft-tissue and muscle injuries during that stretch.
Ian Machado Garry Joins PETA
The 28-year-old enters UFC 330 at 17-1 and will challenge Makhachev for the UFC welterweight championship in the main event. It will be Garry’s first UFC title fight and the first time an Irish fighter has competed for a UFC belt since Conor McGregor.
PETA‘s campaign goes beyond sports performance, tying Garry’s food choices to its animal-rights position. The group points to evidence of social and cognitive abilities in farm animals while encouraging viewers to try vegan eating. Garry’s own pitch is more straightforward. He sees it as part of his preparation to become a champion.
Whether fans buy the burger reveal or not, Garry will soon have a high-pressure chance to test his “powered by plants” message against one of MMA’s toughest assignments.
