December 13, 2023 8:30 pm ET
The fight week drama around Ian Garry continues to rage entering UFC 296.
Garry (13-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) has been the centerpiece of much conversation going into fight week due to facing former Kill Cliff FC training partner Vicente Luque (22-9-1 MMA, 15-5 UFC), his relocation to multiple gyms throughout training camp and the online backlash he’s received due to a social media examination into his personal life.
Before fight week began, Garry said he was concerned about the safety of his family, expressing worry for his wife and child. There was anticipation to hear from him during his appearance at Wednesday’s UFC 296 media day. However, Garry was the first fighter scheduled to speak, but did not arrive at the UFC Apex for his time slot, and as the hours wore on, discussion swirled that he would not talk to reporters.
Garry’s opponent Luque, whom he meets in a welterweight bout to open Saturday’s pay-per-view main card at T-Mobile Arena, was not bothered by the Irishman skipping his obligations and sympathized with his situation.
Despite his no-show of media day, it appears Garry intends to attend Thursday’s UFC 296 pre-fight press conference, at which the entire main card for the event will be onstage to answer questions from media members.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.
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