Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Before UFC 292 on Saturday, watch as the title-fight athletes, main card and prelim fighters speak to reporters at media day.
BOSTON – UFC 292, with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+, goes down Saturday at TD Garden.
Before fight night arrives, though, notable athletes from the two championship fights, main card and preliminary lineup spoke to reporters Wednesday at media day.
If you happen to miss any of the individual sessions on the live stream, check below for the archived videos of each media day.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.
Ian Machado Garry thinks he’s the marquee name of UFC 292.
[anyclip pubname=”2119″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8186″]
[autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] thinks he’s the marquee name of UFC 292.
Saturday’s card is headlined by the bantamweight title fight between champion Aljamain Sterling and Sean O’Malley, and also features the likes of strawweight champ Zhang Weili and the return of former champ Chris Weidman.
Garry (12-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who takes on Neil Magny (28-10 MMA, 21-9 UFC) at TD Garden in Boston, is confident he’s the main attraction of the card.
“I believe that I am carrying this 292 card on my back, and that if it wasn’t for me, this card would go down the drain,” Garry said on The MMA Hour. “With the opponent change and everything – at the end of the day, I’m just happy the fans get to see me, because I know there’s a lot of Irish and Brazilian support in Boston that are excited to have me there. I’m glad the fans get to watch me live in action.”
Just like Conor McGregor had one of his breakout moments in Boston, Garry expects the same for his career.
“For sure,” Garry explained. “I’m Irish. I’m fighting in Boston. They have a massive Irish contingent. I’ve just been in Brazil the last two and a half months. The biggest contingent of Brazilians is in Massachusetts and Boston.
“This is the stage, the platform where I go in there, and you say it: You’ve got the likes of Sean O’Malley and Aljamain and all these guys, that I’m the superstar on the card. It happened in the last fight. It’s happening this fight. The wheels are in motion. I just have to show up and do my thing and the world will see.”
UFC 292 takes place Saturday at TD Garden in Boston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
[lawrence-related id=2668597,2652375,2644950,2643137]
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.
The best facts about UFC 292, which sees Aljamain Sterling bring a potentially GOAT-worthy resume into his title defense vs. Sean O’Malley.
The UFC returns to Boston for the seventh time in company history and the first time in nearly four years on Saturday with UFC 292, which takes place at TD Garden and has a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
A championship doubleheader takes center stage on the card. In the main event, [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) will seek his fourth consecutive bantamweight title defense when he takes on [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC), while the co-main event sees strawweight champ [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) look for the first defense of her second title reign against dangerous Brazilian challenger [autotag]Amanda Lemos[/autotag] (13-2-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC).
For the numbers behind both title bouts, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC 292.
* * * *
Ian Machado Garry will get the fight he originally wanted for UFC 292 when he meets Neil Magny.
[autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] will get the fight he originally wanted for UFC 292 when he meets [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag].
After Geoff Neal withdrew from the Aug. 19 event due to a medical issue, Magny (28-10 MMA, 21-9 UFC) has agreed to step in on short notice and fight the undefeated Garry (12-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in a welterweight bout at TD Garden in Boston. The main card airs pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
Two people with knowledge of the situation told MMA Junkie of the change. The people requested anonymity because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. Additionally, Garry confirmed the new matchup on social media (via Twitter):
I always get what I want 😜 @vaynersports pic.twitter.com/oNw2uvATAE
— “The Future” Ian Machado Garry (@iangarryMMA) August 10, 2023
Garry, 25, is coming off a first-round TKO of Daniel Rodriguez at UFC on ABC 4 in May. He’s earned three of his five UFC victories by knockout and is already 2-0 inside the octagon this year.
Magny, 36, is the UFC’s all-time wins leader in the welterweight division. The more than 10-year veteran of the organization has alternated wins and losses over his past five fights, and is coming off a split decision win over Phil Rowe at UFC on ABC 5 in June.
The latest UFC 292 lineup now includes:
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.
An undisclosed medical issue has ruled Geoff Neal out of his UFC 292 fight with Ian Machado Garry.
[autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] will have to wait to get his big step up in the UFC welterweight division.
[autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag] has withdrawn from his UFC 292 fight with Garry next weekend due to an undisclosed health issues, his management team confirmed to MMA Junkie.
Neal (15-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) and Garry (12-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) were supposed to fight in a 170-pound bout on the main card of the Aug. 19 event, which takes place at TD Garden in Boston and airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
Garry reacted to the news on social media (via Twitter):
Geoff Neal has bitched out – I’m still showing up in Boston ain’t no one stopping me… pic.twitter.com/UeP01Cs4Ls
— “The Future” Ian Machado Garry (@iangarryMMA) August 9, 2023
Garry, 25, is coming off a first-round TKO of Daniel Rodriguez at UFC on ABC 4 in May. He’s earned three of his five UFC victories by knockout and is already 2-0 inside the octagon this year.
The Irishman said in his reaction video that he intends to remain on the UFC 292 card, and hinted at Neil Magny as a potential replacement opponent. Though nothing has been confirmed at this time.
Neal, 32, was attempting to rebound from a submission loss against Shavkat Rakhmonov in the Fight of the Night at UFC 285 in March. He missed weight for the first time in his career prior to the bout, which ended a run of back-to-back wins over Vicente Luque and Santiago Ponzinibbio.
The latest UFC 292 lineup now includes:
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN, ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.
Whether Ian Machado Garry wins his UFC 292 fight or not, Randy Brown wants the outspoken Irishman next.
LAS VEGAS – Whether [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] wins his UFC 292 fight against Geoff Neal or not, [autotag]Randy Brown[/autotag] wants to share the octagon with the Irishman next.
After scoring a unanimous decision win over Wellington Turman at UFC on ABC 5 in June, Brown (17-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC) is already looking for his next assignment in the welterweight division. He’s not super picky about whom he fights, as long as it represents a step up, but Brown thinks Garry (12-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) would be a compelling fight for the fans.
I’ve always been a high-risk, low-reward kind of fighter unfortunately,” Brown told MMA Junkie Radio on UFC X Radio Row earlier this month. “As of late, I’m starting to get momentum, and my name’s getting out there. Dudes are not quick to call me out because I have a style that’s very dangerous for everybody. Nobody wanta to deal with a 6-foot-three-and-a-half welterweight. I’m a giant in there. I could see why a lot of people don’t call me out.
“For me, I think there’s a lot of guys and a lot of fun fights for me in my division. A guy like Ian Garry, I’m happy with the things he’s doing. … He has a great style; I have a great style. We’re both long and lengthy. I think we’ll put on a phenomenal fight. Besides him, there’s a ton of other guys.”
Brown, 33, has won five of his past six fights dating back to April 2021. His only setback in that stretch came at UFC 284 in February, when he suffered a first-round submission loss to surging contender Jack Della Maddalena.
It was a disappointing result for Brown but one he thinks didn’t damage his career too significantly as he plots to continue making noise at 170 pounds.
“Honestly, while I was in that loss, when I experienced that loss, I don’t even think that loss itself set me back too far,” Brown said. “I feel like I got caught in a transition, and it is what it is. The dude capitalized. But I fought, I came back, and I thought I had a great performance. Not the performance that I wanted – I definitely wanted a big finish – but Thurman came to fight. I think I’m right back where I left off before, and hopefully my next fight we can really get out there with someone that’s down to scrap.”
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030788]
Ian Machado Garry simply believes he’s too good for Geoff Neal ahead of their UFC 292 fight.
[autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] has warned [autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag] ahead of their matchup at UFC 292.
Undefeated Machado Garry (12-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) meets Neal (15-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) on the Aug. 19 event, which takes place at TD Garden in Boston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
Neal is coming off a submission loss to Machado Garry’s Kill Cliff FC teammate Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 285 in March. Just like his past opposition, Machado Garry expects his length to pose problems for Neal.
“Everybody says the same thing when they fight me,” Machado Garry told Cageside Press. “I think I’m a different animal to what he’s faced before. I hit harder than what he’s faced before. He’s not seen anybody like me. I couldn’t care less what they say. The truth is, every single one of them has never faced somebody like me.
“Geoff Neal has fought guys that are long and tall, and he’s lost to all three of them. He lost to (Neil) Magny, he lost to ‘Wonderboy’ (Thompson), he lost to Shavkat. And I fight very differently to all three of them. I’m younger, I’m faster, I’m fitter, I’m more dynamic.”
Machado Garry’s two most recent finishes came in Round 3 over Song Kenan and Round 1 against Daniel Rodriguez. He envisions knocking Neal out midway through the fight.
“I’m going to be so far out that his little short arse couldn’t hit me,” Machado Garry continued. “I’m going to be kicking him from every single angle, and I’m going to show him that I am just that much better than everybody he’s ever faced. The way I move, the way I can set you up is just different. And look, I plan on putting him to sleep in the second round.”
[lawrence-related id=2655349,2644950,2643137,2642792]
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.
Neil Magny is still interested in fighting Ian Machado Garry.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag] still is interested in fighting [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag].
Magny (28-11 MMA, 21-9 UFC) accepted Machado Garry’s callout in the lead-up to his fight at UFC on ABC 5 this past Saturday, and doubled down on the challenge after defeating Phil Rowe at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.
Garry (12-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) had called out Magny after knocking out Daniel Rodriguez at UFC on ABC 4 in May, but since has been matched up with Geoff Neal at UFC 292 on Aug. 19 in Boston.
“I’m going to draw a blank to his name, but I guess there’s some little Irish kid calling me out,” Magny told MMA Junkie and other reporters at the UFC on ABC 5 post-fight news conference. “Ian whatever his last name is. I know he’s been real chippy or whatever, but he definitely asked for the wrong Neil. If I get a chance to run that fight sometime this year, I’m definitely game for it.”
Magny is no stranger to being called out, but the UFC record holder for most wins in welterweight history takes it as a compliment, and is happy to continue making history.
“If I get called out, it means I’m doing something right,” Magny said. “It’s up to me to go out there and show these young guys, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t call Neil out again’ kind of thing. That’s the name of the sport. You want to be able to solidify yourself at the top and make sure the guys are wanting to fight you.”
[lawrence-related id=2652654,2652930,2652375,2652070]
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 5.
UFC welterweight Neil Magny is always willing to accept call outs, and Ian Machado Garry might be next on his list.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – [autotag]Neil Magny[/autotag] is used to being called out by peers in his division, but admits the latest shout he received was a bit surprising.
A mainstay in the promotion’s welterweight rankings, Magny (27-11 MMA, 20-9 UFC) returns to action at UFC on ABC 5 to take on Phil Rowe (10-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC) in the feature preliminary bout. The event takes place Saturday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, and the main card airs on ABC following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
Magny is entering his 30th fight under the UFC banner, and throughout his run, he has accepted any challenge that has stood in his path toward the welterweight title. Rising undefeated contender Ian Machado Garry is the latest to mention Magny’s name on the mic, which is an opponent that could make sense, should the “Haitian Sensation” get past Rowe on Saturday.
“It’s definitely a call out that’s worth entertaining,” Magny told reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “I mean, the guy is currently, I believe, ranked in the top 15. I believe he’s undefeated in the UFC, as well. It’s a matchup that definitely intrigues me. But first things first: I’ve got Phil Saturday night, so I’m really trying to focus on that one first.”
[lawrence-related id=2652322,2652142,2652070]
If successful against Rowe, Magny will extend his lead of most welterweight victories in UFC history to 21. With his win over Daniel Rodriguez in November, Magny surpassed UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre, who has 19.
Garry has been on quite the run since his debut in 2021. He’s currently 5-0 and has a date set against Geoff Neal in August at UFC 292. While his call out of Magny came before his booking against Neal, their paths could very well cross depending on the results of the upcoming bouts. Whether it happens or not, it’s all familiar to Magny, who is used to having callouts not materialize for one reason or another.
“I’ve been called out by literally every single fighter in the top 15 right now at some point or another,” Magny said. “But them actually following through and saying, ‘Oh yeah, that’s a fight we really want.’ That rarely ever happens.
“… It’s easy to look at the number behind the name and say, ‘Hey, I want to fight this guy,’ and know the willingness that I’m going to say yes to whomever it is. It is surprising that was the callout at all, but is it something they really want at the end of the day? I highly doubt it.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 5.
All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.
MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.
But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.
Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.
Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by a promotion from June 12-18.
