Mixed martial arts veteran Derek Brunson says Irish star Ian Garry has got a 'bright future' in the red-hot UFC welterweight division. 

Garry, 23, captured the vacant Cage Warriors welterweight title with a unanimous decision win over England's Jack Grant at London's York Hall on June 26. 

The Irishman recently swapped the Emerald Isle for the Land of Opportunity to train at Sanford MMA under coach Henri Hooft. 

Hooft, a former kickboxer, also trains a number of UFC fighters, including Brunson, Gilbert Burns and Robbie Lawler.

And Brunson says he's excited by the possibilities for Garry, a former window cleaner from Dublin. 

"Ian Garry, he's funny, man," Brunson told GIVEMESPORT.

"Typical UK guy, you know? Yeah, he's a funny guy, I think he's got a bright future.

"He did the right thing going somewhere he could be challenged day in, day out, because it's only going to bring out the best in him, but I think he for sure has a bright future.

"I can't wait to watch him make his debut, it's going to be a lot of fun." 

Read more: Ian Garry exclusive: 'I'd love to fight Mike Perry'

Ian Garry celebrates after beating Jack Grant to win the Cage Warriors welterweight title

Garry is one of Europe's brightest MMA prospects, having already beaten the likes of Rostem Akman and Mateusz Figlak.

Following his victory over Grant, the 23-year-old told GIVEMESPORT he hopes to get back in the cage to gain as much experience as soon as possible and is fixed on getting a fight by the end of the year. 

Speaking earlier this year, he said: "This is the issue; I'd love to fight Mike Perry, because everybody knows who Mike Perry is. Everybody knows Mike Perry's game, right?

"He's gone a bit mad over the last year or two, I don't know what's going on with the guy, but like, he'd be someone that would absolutely be like, 'Nah, I'll kill that kid', do you know what I mean? I mean, I'd like to see him try.

"Everybody knows who he is, everybody knows that he's a good, solid fighter, it's not an easy fight by any stretch of the imagination, and he goes in there and looks to bang.

"I'd just like to go in there and solidify myself as like, a name, on the first day, I'm going to go in there, Mike Perry, alright, everybody knows I'm going to knock him out, I'm going to stop him, and everybody is going to say, 'Right, this kid is legit'.

"Same thing. Statements. Every performance is a statement, so yeah, the bigger the names, the bigger the statements."

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