Dubliner Ian Machado Garry may get his wish of a high profile bout with former multiple time welterweight title challenger Colby Covington, according to reports.
Garry, a perfect 15-0 (8-0 UFC) in his career to date, has been petitioning UFC brass for a showdown with rival 170-pounder Covington for some time now, initially calling out the American wrestler for a bout this past summer at UFC 303 in Las Vegas. Covington, though, who was reportedly nursing a foot injury sustained in his unsuccessful bid to claim the title from then-champ Leon Edwards last December, has so far no indicated a strong desire to face the Irishman in the cage.
That might be about to change, however.
According to a report by The Sporting News, which cites sources inside the UFC, the organisation’s matchmakers are seeking to pair Garry and Covington as headliners of the UFC’s return to Tampa, Florida on December 14.
The event, which is scheduled to take place at Tampa’s Amalie Arena, has yet to have a main event attached to it with around 8 weeks until showtime — and with Garry ranked 7th, one place higher than Covington, the winner of the potential bout would likely move into the division’s top ten and place themselves in contention to face the winner of the title clash between champ Belal Muhammad and the unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov, which headlines December’s UFC 310 in Las Vegas.
Speaking to MMA Fighting earlier this year, Garry expressed doubt that Covington would ever sign a contract to fight him, even after both men had engaged in some back-and-forths on social media.
“The truth is, I think he’s just avoiding me,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any one [thing]. He’s just avoiding the fight because he knows, ‘Ian Garry’s too dangerous for me to step in that Octagon with, I’ll try to wait and find someone else.’
“I don’t know, sitting here right now, if I ever believe that he will accept a fight with me. I think Colby Covington looks at me and I think he sees the end of his career. A young, talented prospect, super sharp, super fast, super smart, and different to anyone else he’s ever fought. That’s scary when you’re on the latter end of your career and you’re just trying to stay relevant and beat people who aren’t going to be world champions and aren’t going to be the best.”
