[autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] compares [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] to a prime [autotag]Stephen Thompson[/autotag].
Luque (22-9-1 MMA, 15-5 UFC) faces Kill Cliff FC teammate Garry (13-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) at UFC 296 on Dec. 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims expected on ESPN and ESPN+.
Luque thinks their striking styles make for an entertaining matchup that he sees inevitably delivering.
“I believe this is going to be a really exciting fight,” Luque said on the “Believe You Me” podcast. “I don’t see it any other way because it’s just the styles. I’m an aggressive fighter. Even whenever I go to the ground, I’m still looking to ground and pound, to submit. I don’t know how to fight at a different pace than going out there and really pushing the pace.
“Ian has shown to be the same kind of fighter – the guy that is going to be walking forward. Sometimes he walks back, but still makes it exciting – kind of like ‘Wonderboy’ back in the day when he was a great counter puncher and everything. I feel like it is going to be a really exciting fight. I do believe I have the tools to finish him either standing or on the ground.”
Luque vs. Garry is the third major welterweight matchup at UFC 296 which is headlined by champion Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington. He hopes an impressive win over Garry inserts him in the welterweight title picture.
“I’m looking forward to getting a big, dominant win against a guy like Ian who is the up-and-coming prospect and try to steal the show and maybe jump,” Luque said. “Now is the perfect moment to get a big jump in the division and try to get in the mix for that title.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.