Neil Magny, a well-known name in the UFC, has recently spoken out. He claims that the trash talk from Ian Garry before their UFC 292 clash had a profound impact on his life outside the Octagon. It wasn’t just the usual pre-fight banter, it was something that seeped into his personal life.
Magny had promised to deliver a “father-like ass whooping” on Garry in the lead-up to their August bout. Despite his confident words, Magny, also known as “The Haitian Sensation,” lost the fight via decision. Garry, nicknamed “The Future,” turned the tables on Magny, implying during the same press conference that the veteran was a child abuser.
This accusation wasn’t just a blow to Magny’s ego. He recently revealed that the label had far-reaching impacts on his personal life. At the time, he was going through a custody battle for his children. The headlines associating him with “child abuse” were used as evidence against him in court.
Magny explained, “[Garry’s comments] had a lot more consequences than just nonsense at the press conference. Screenshots were taken of headlines saying that I’m a child abuser and I’d do this to my kids. These screenshots were put into apps and things like that, admissible in court where I’m literally fighting for custody of my children.”
He spoke to Sportskeeda MMA about the incident, expressing that the situation was bigger than just selling a pay-per-view. His relationship with his children was at stake. Garry, on the other hand, has recently been in the headlines for controversial reasons. These range from his relationship with his wife to being barred from Leon Edwards’ Team Renegade.
When asked about the controversies surrounding Garry, Magny admitted he couldn’t ignore them. Despite this, he refrained from making any comments regarding Garry’s personal matters. He stated, “Even though he may be perceived as being a jerk, it’ll be a very terrible show of character on my end to kick [Garry] down at this point, especially when there’s a child at stake in the middle of all this.”
Magny also reflected on his own actions, admitting that he’s made mistakes. He said, “I may be a little less reserved, but as far as like, I’m not as outspoken as he is. But I made plenty of stupid decisions that affected the way that my life has played out over the last couple of years.”
Now, “The Haitian Sensation” is looking ahead. He’s set to return to the ring against Canadian standout Mike Malott at UFC 297 on Jan. 20 in Toronto.