Vicente Luque is set to face an up-and-comer…
The 31-year-old Brazilian-Chilean American mixed martial artist will face rising UFC star Ian Garry at UFC 296 on December 16 in Las Vegas, UFC president Dana White announced early Sunday on social media.
Both fighters have been teammates at Kill Cliff FC, and each is trying to get into the welterweight title conversation.
Luque (22-9-1) beat former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos via unanimous decision on August 12. Training out of Florida, he has won five of his past seven fights. Luque has the second-most finishes in UFC welterweight history (13).
Garry (13-0) is 6-0 in UFC and coming off a dominant, unanimous decision win over Neil Magny at UFC 292 on August 19. The Ireland native is the former Cage Warriors welterweight champion. Garry, 25, is regarded as one of the best young fighters in the world and Ireland’s best chance at a UFC championship since Conor McGregor.
UFC 296 is shaping up to be one of the deepest cards of the year, headlined by a welterweight title fight between champion Leon Edwards and former interim titleholder Colby Covington. In the co-main event, Alexandre Pantoja defends his flyweight title against Brandon Royval.