Ian Machado Garry might have lost to reigning champion Islam Makhachev for the welterweight title at UFC 330, but this top-tier technical striker is far from down and out. At 28, the Irishman holds an impressive MMA record of 17-2, which, in layman’s terms, means he has lost only twice in his entire MMA career. According to Machado Garry, he has a key advantage in the world of professional fighting, though, and that’s his diet.
The athlete, who is a divisive figure in the fighting world, largely because of his outspokenness and feminist values (Machado is his wife’s maiden name), has been vegan for five years. He told BBC Sport recently that after swapping meat for plants, he felt physically stronger, healthier, and more capable.
“If I didn’t go vegan, I wouldn’t be in the position I am right now - one million percent,” he said. “Because I saw the negative effects that my diet was having towards my weight cutting and my fighting. I kept consistently getting sick.”
He added that his rest and recovery have improved since going vegan and that he’s now able to take on big fights at short notice.
“My weight management since I’ve been vegan has been amazing. My recovery, my rest, my output, my training has been second to none,” he said. “So I’ve been able to take short-notice fights to put myself in a position to beat the best guys in the world.”
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The rise of plant-based athletes
The fight against Makhachev was his 11th as a vegan. “No injuries. No soft tissue injuries, no muscle problems, no anything,” he said.
He’s not alone. Many athletes have discovered the health benefits of a plant-based lifestyle. Venus Williams, Lewis Hamilton, and Chris Paul are just a few examples of vegan athletes.
More recently, Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider claimed that a plant-based diet had reduced his high blood pressure and improved his performance. In 2025, Torre Washington became the first vegan bodybuilder to qualify for Mr. Olympia.
For Machado Garry, being vegan isn’t just about his health and career. He’s also passionate about the ethical and sustainability benefits of the lifestyle.
He recently starred in a campaign for the animal rights organization PETA called “The Future is Plant-Based,” a nod to the fighter’s UFC nickname, “The Future.”
“Our decisions affect the animals, it affects the birds, it affects the bees, it affects all humans across the world, it affects sea life,” he told BBC Sport. “So we need to be more conscious of the decisions we make day in and day out.”
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
