UFC fans will all remember Conor McGregor’s historic run to become a double champion. The promotion may possibly have found its next burgeoning Irish superstar. Ian Garry has steadily climbed the welterweight rankings, and has a significant opportunity ahead of him at UFC 296 against Vicente Luque. A win here would firmly place Garry on the fast track toward the top of the division.
The Division
Garry has shown tremendous promise in his short run so far. His quick finish over Daniel Rodriguez put the division on notice. In his last outing, he accepted a short notice bout against a tough veteran in Neil Magny. Garry delivered a near-flawless performance. He defended Magny’s takedowns easily and used strong leg kicks to cripple the veteran. So far, Garry has certainly shown that he at least belongs in the conversation of promising welterweight prospects.
Ian Garry v Neil Magny, image – Skysports
Vicente Luque will present a significant challenge. Luque himself rode an impressive win streak not too long ago, including submission wins over Tyron Woodley and Michael Chiesa. He recently returned to winning ways in a grueling scrap against Rafael Dos Anjos. Luque has heavy hands and underrated grappling skills. Throughout his career, he has proven very difficult to put away. However, his knockout loss to Geoff Neal still raises questions about his chin moving forward. That said, Luque has seemingly taken the right amount of time off and looked refreshed against a durable veteran in Dos Anjos.
Strengths and Weakness
Despite Luque’s strengths, Ian Garry should have the tools to win this matchup. His striking and frame for the division give him sizable advantages heading into this fight. Admittedly, we have yet to see Garry’s grappling tested against the top of the division. Although Luque has shown good grappling, he typically prefers to strike. Luque could always catch Garry, who has been rocked already in his UFC tenure. However, in that same fight, Garry demonstrated the ability to battle through bad situations. Ultimately, Garry looks to be the more accurate and more diverse striker of the two, and should be able to keep his momentum going.
The Short Story
A win over Vicente Luque puts Garry on a relatively short list of fighters clamoring for the title. With many of his Kill Cliff FC teammates vying for the belt, Luque among them, his future matchups will be interesting to follow. For now, the Irish star has his hands full with a dangerous opponent in Vicente Luque.
Vincente Luque, image – Draft Kings Network
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