UFC 296: Ian Garry Forced to Withdraw Due to Pneumonia

The Blow to the Stacked Pay-Per-View Main Card

UFC 296 has been hit with a major setback as welterweight contender Ian Garry has been forced to withdraw from the event. Garry was scheduled to kick off the stacked pay-per-view main card with a career-defining clash against former team-mate Vicente Luque.

A Surprising Absence at Media Day

Questions arose when Garry was absent from Wednesday's media day, leading many to speculate that he had skipped the event due to the recent attention around his wife, Layla Machado Garry. However, it has now been revealed that Garry has been battling pneumonia, which explains his absence from the event.

Dana White Confirms Garry's Withdrawal

UFC president Dana White announced Garry's withdrawal in the early hours of Thursday morning. White explained that Garry initially had the flu, which later developed into pneumonia, making it impossible for him to compete this weekend.

Garry's Hopes for a Title Run

The undefeated Ian Garry, 26, was looking to use his fight against former training partner Vicente Luque as a stepping stone towards a title run in 2024. Garry expressed his desire to make a lasting impression on fight fans by defeating Luque in a spectacular fashion.

He said, "When I beat Vicente because Vicente is so well rounded and so well respected by fight fans around the world, I want people to have that same feeling as when I beat Neil Magny."

Garry added, "If you add Danny Rodriguez, Neil Magny and Vicente Luque to the start of any title run, that's a pretty impressive resume before you have even touched the rest of the top-ten or top-five in the division."

It remains to be seen when Garry will have the opportunity to return to the octagon and continue his ascent in the welterweight division.