Ahead of what is expected to be a must-watch UFC 296 press conference in Las Vegas, one of the card’s most talked-about fighters has taken aim at his critics online.

Ian Machado Garry, the 26-year-old Dubliner seeking to go 7-0 in the UFC (14-0 overall) with a win against welterweight veteran Vicente Luque on Saturday night, has been under the spotlight in recent weeks over a series rumours and speculation over his personal life which, frankly, don’t need to be repeated on the these pages.

Nonetheless, the story — which has captivated some of the outskirts of the MMA media in recent weeks — has drawn several other people in, notably middleweight champion Sean Strickland. This week’s presser, during which Garry will share the stage with the likes of Leon Edwards and Colby Covington, where it is sure a few insults will fly.

Garry has kept somewhat of a low profile in the past weeks but overnight released a promo for his fight to social media which appears to directly reference the controversy.

There will always be Haters…#Undefeated pic.twitter.com/CpfAQuT686

— “The Future” Ian Machado Garry (@iangarryMMA) December 12, 2023

“They hate the way you walk, they hate the way you talk, they said you’re just a McGregor fanboy,” the narrator says in the minute-long clip. “That you’d never reach the top ten. They hate your wife, they hate your family, and they even hate the food you eat. They said you’re just a hype train. That you get kicked out of every gym.

“They hate that everyone is talking about you. They hate that your brand is booming. That you have cameras on you all the time. They hate that you’re interesting, entertaining, and they really hate that you’re undefeated. They hate the way you run things your way, they hate the way you win, win, and win some more, and they hate that on December 16th, they’ll all be watching you win again.”

The clip has been viewed more than one million times in the first eleven hours of its release.