Ian Garry’s wife, Layla Machado Garry, is a woman who’s lived several lives before stepping into the UFC spotlight. She wasn’t always known as the partner of a rising MMA star. Long before Ian was throwing punches in the Octagon, Layla was a familiar face on British TV, hosting kids’ shows and interviewing celebrities.
Her career has zigzagged through sports broadcasting, comedy, and even a bit of satire, which later came back to haunt her in ways she probably never expected. Born in London to a Brazilian mother and a British father, she grew up with a mix of cultures that shaped her dynamic personality. She wasn’t just another presenter; she had charisma, wit, and a knack for holding the camera’s attention, whether she was talking about football or cracking jokes on live TV.
Inside Ian Garry’s Marriage to His Wife, Layla Machado Garry
The way she met Ian feels almost like a rom-com script. It was 2021, and he was still climbing the ranks in Cage Warriors, far from the UFC fame he enjoys today. Layla, already established in sports media, crossed paths with the Irish fighter, and something clicked. Their relationship moved fast.
By early 2022, they surprised everyone with a spontaneous Las Vegas wedding, no big guest list, no fuss, just them declaring their love in true fighter-and-presenter fashion. It was the kind of whirlwind romance that makes headlines, but for them, it was just the beginning. Soon after, they welcomed their son, Leandro, blending their names into his—Leandro Vegas Machado Garry, a nod to where they married and their shared identity.
But life in the public eye isn’t always fairy-tale smooth. Layla’s past, particularly a tongue-in-cheek audiobook she wrote in 2012 called How to Be a WAG, became ammunition for critics when Ian’s UFC profile rose. The book was satire, poking fun at the stereotype of footballers’ wives, but some people—like UFC middleweight Sean Strickland—took it literally, accusing her of being a gold digger who manipulated Ian.
The internet ran wild with the narrative, twisting her humor into something sinister. Then came the bizarre rumors about her ex-husband, Richard Cullen, supposedly living with them, a claim they both shut down hard. The truth? Cullen, a nutritionist, works with Ian professionally. That’s it. But in the world of fight fans and keyboard warriors, drama sells better than facts.
Layla isn’t the type to sit back and let rumors define her. She fired back on social media, posting videos to set the record straight, calling out Strickland’s exaggerations, and even laughing off the absurdity of some claims. Ian, never one to shy away from confrontation, stood by her fiercely. At UFC 298 weigh-ins, when a fan hurled insults at Layla, Ian didn’t just brush it off—he challenged the guy to say it to her face. That moment summed up their dynamic: a team, unshaken by outside noise.
Then there was the viral moment that had everyone talking. A video surfaced of Ian singing and dancing for Layla, and while some, like Chael Sonnen, mocked it as cringe, others saw it as refreshingly real. In a sport where masculinity is often performative, Ian’s unapologetic love for his spouse was either endearing or embarrassing, depending on who you asked. But here’s the thing—Layla loved it. That’s all that mattered to them.
Today, they’re navigating UFC fame together, balancing parenthood, media scrutiny, and Ian’s fighting career. Layla’s no longer just a presenter or a “WAG”; she’s become a central figure in Ian’s story, for better or worse. Whether she’s clapping back at trolls or cheering from cageside, she’s carved out her own space in the fight world.
And as Ian, 27, climbs the welterweight rankings, one thing’s clear: their relationship isn’t just a side note. It’s part of the spectacle, the drama, and the heart of what makes Ian Garry’s rise so compelling. Love them or hate them, you can’t look away.
