Israel Adesanya and Conor McGregor Finally Agree on the Same Thing as Ian Garry’s Future Gets Contemplated Before UFC 315

The MMA world was buzzing following UFC Kansas City, where the main and co-main events delivered plenty of drama and excitement. However, it surely left many divided as well, with the way some fights went down. While some were undeniably competitive, others were, to put it mildly, lackluster, such as the showing by Anthony Smith. The night was more than just a topic of debate for fans; Conor McGregor and Israel Adesanya found themselves on opposing sides of the argument as well. But once the dust had settled, what brought them together? It was none other than UFC 315 backup fighter Ian Garry, whose future appears more exciting than ever.

Both Conor McGregor and Adesanya had their opinions on the night’s events, which were initially polarizing. While ‘The Last Stylebender’ tweeted, “I did that s—!” in favor of the now-retired Anthony Smith, McGregor chose to insult him instead. Following Smith’s devastating defeat to Zhang Mingyang, ‘The Notorious’ shared a laughing emoji on X, making light of the brutal result. Although McGregor deleted the post within minutes, screenshots had already gone viral.

When it came to Ian Garry’s bout against Carlos Prates, Israel Adesanya and McGregor found some common ground. Izzy praised Garry’s cool, tactical performance, describing the five-round duel as high-level chess and commending both fighters. Taking to his Instagram story, he wrote, “High level chess! Great fight, gents!” Conor McGregor, too, kept it simple but classy, calling it a “Great Fight” and showing his love for Garry with flag emojis. However, in true McGregor fashion, the Irishman decided to delete this small praise as well. But we all know now, he watched him fight, and he surely loved ‘The Future.’

“I did that shit!” – Anthony Smith

— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) April 27, 2025

Following his decision victory, Garry wasted no time planning his next move. After feeling neglected following his loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov, Ian Garry said that he will come to Montreal in two weeks, ready to step in at UFC 315 if Belal Muhammad or Jack Della Maddalena falter. Dana White later confirmed Garry as the official backup for the welterweight title fight, boosting the Irishman’s hopes. With McGregor and Adesanya both praising him, Ian Machado Garry’s profile is rapidly rising, and UFC 315 could be his big break. But while ‘The Future’ walked out with his head held high, Anthony Smith walked out, leaving quite a controversy behind.

Conor McGregor’s rival Anthony Smith flips the bird

While Ian Garry’s stock rose following UFC Kansas City, Anthony Smith found himself the focus of a very different type of attention. Emotions ran high as Smith, a respected veteran of the sport, exited the Octagon not only defeated but also with a move that sent shockwaves throughout the MMA world: flipping off a fan from the cage. It wasn’t the farewell many expected for a fighter who had dedicated 17 years to the sport, but those paying careful attention saw the signals all along. ‘Lionheart’ has already been dealing with an emotional hurricane in the run-up to UFC Kansas City. He was noticeably distressed after losing his longtime instructor and close friend, Scott Morton, only a few weeks before.

Morton had been by Smith’s side since he was 17, so fighting without him at Factory X for the first time was an obvious burden. Add to that the usual flood of online hate, which Smith did not shy away from addressing at UFC 301, calling fans “stupid”—and it was evident ‘Lionheart’ was under more than just professional pressure. When Zhang Mingyang delivered that brutal first-round knockout, it was more than simply a defeat; it was the tipping point. When Smith saw a fan in a Nebraska jersey taunting him after the fight, he simply snapped, flipping the bird in a moment of raw, unfiltered emotion.

Conor McGregor would have loved the moment, having insulted Smith earlier that night with a laughing emoji. The duo has a long-running feud, which began years ago with heated online exchanges. But, to his credit, Smith showed a glimpse of his true character once the dust settled. In his post-fight interview, he chose appreciation over animosity, thanking Dana White, UFC matchmakers, and even the behind-the-scenes personnel who had contributed to his long journey. However, UFC fans would’ve loved to see how the ‘Lionheart’ would’ve reacted to McGregor’s trolling and if he would’ve changed his mind on retirement and had a one-on-one with a returning McGregor. What do you think? Would you have paid to watch the fight? Let us know in the comments.

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