UFC 296 takes place this weekend as the final PPV event of 2023. The fight card is set to be headlined by welterweight title fight between Leon Edwards and Colby Covington. While the 170-pound title is on the line, the card also features a few top welterweights fighting to make a statement. One such fighter happens to be Ian Garry who was supposed to take on former teammate Vicente Luque.
Unfortunately, the fight between Garry and Luque is now off. According to sources, Garry was down with the flu. What seemed to be just a flu at the start turned into pneumonia. The same was also confirmed by UFC President Dana White he said,
“Alright guys, I know its out there, there is some speculation that Ian Garry and Luque is off. It is true. Ian Garry started with the flu that turned into pneumonia. So that fight is off and is not happening. It is true.”
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The fight between Luque and Garry was supposed to be the opening card fight on the main card. The card also featured other welterweights such as Steven Thompson and Shavkat Rakhmonov to name a few. While Dana White did not mention it, the UFC will be trying all it can to secure a replacement fight for Luque if possible. However, given that the fight is just a few days away it might be easier said than done.
For Garry, it brings to an end one of the most controversial fight camps that he has ever had. Let’s take a closer look at what might be next for Luque and Garry.
What is next in store for Vicente Luque and Ian Garry?
The UFC’s first priority will be to secure a replacement for Garry this weekend. However, if that is not possible, there is a very strong chance that they move the fight to UFC 297 in January since Garry will not be out for too long.
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Garry vs Luque was one of the fights fans were looking forward to. Especially since all that has gone on with Garry leading up to fight week. Ian Garry has a chance to establish himself as an elite welterweight contender if he is able to secure a win over someone like Vicente Luque. Both fans as well as the UFC will be hoping that Garry is able to return to full fitness as soon as possible.
