Let’s end the year with a banger 🔥@IanGarryMMA
versus @NewMansa94
is
#UFCTampa Main event!
Get your tickets 👉 https://t.co/eoKeUgRb8k pic.twitter.com/QJofp85j9y
— UFC (@ufc)
November 1, 2024
It appears that Ultimate Fighting Championship already had plans to hire Ian Garry. According to a UFC release on Friday, Gary (15-0) will face Joaquin Buckley (20-6) in the main event of UFC Tampa, also known as UFC on ESPN 63. The two welterweights will be targeting him inside. Gary had been seeking a chance to take on Shavkat Rakhmonov for the interim 170-pound strap due to champion Belal Muhammad’s illness, but the promotion is heading in a different direction.
Gary has passed every test since joining the UFC roster in 2021, defeating Jordan Williams at the tail end of the first round and establishing himself as an elite fighter. The undefeated Irishman has steadily climbed the welterweight ladder with five wins since the start of 2023, most recently topping Michael Page on the scorecards. Along the way, “The Future” also surpassed names like Daniel Rodriguez, Neil Magny, and Jeff Neal.
Since moving down to welterweight, Buckley has been obsessed with his new weight class. ‘New Mansa’ has five wins dating back to May 2023, bolstering a resume filled with highlight finishes with knockouts of Andre Fialho, Vicente Luque and Stephen Thompson. Buckley, who lost to Kevin Holland in his team debut in 2020, made a name for himself in 2020 by dismantling Impa Kasanganay with a picturesque spinning back kick.
The final UFC card of 2024, UFC on ESPN 63, will take place on December 14th at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. With the notable Garry-Buckley match on the books, the lineup looks relatively complete. Additional main card pairings include a flyweight scrap between Manel Cape and Bruno Silva, a strawweight tilt between Amanda Rivas and Mackenzie Dern, and a 125-pound showdown between Miranda Maverick and Tracy Cortez.
