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.”
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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.