Ian Garry Claims UFC Locked in Saudi Arabia Main Event, Accuses Morales of Making Excuses
Ian Machado Garry says the UFC locked in a Nov. 28 main event in Saudi Arabia, but Michael Morales won't sign.
Ian Machado Garry is ready to fight. The problem, he says, is that Michael Morales isn't.
The former UFC welterweight title challenger took to social media Monday to claim the UFC has locked in a main event slot for him on November 28 in Saudi Arabia. Garry says he personally reached out to the No. 3 ranked Morales to make the fight happen.
"I've said YES. The date is locked in. Main event and you're making excuses already," Garry wrote. He added that the UFC sent the date and he messaged Morales directly. "You make it all public but behind the scenes I'm getting a different message."
Morales initially accepted the challenge when Garry called him out publicly. But per Yahoo Sports, the Ecuadorian contender has not signed a contract. Instead, Morales is campaigning for a title eliminator against No. 1 ranked Carlos Prates, a fight that could set up a welterweight championship shot against Islam Makhachev in early 2027.
Morales hasn't competed in nearly a year. His last bout was a first-round knockout of Sean Brady.
Garry isn't buying the delay. "The world knows I'm willing to fight anyone anytime," he said. Whether Morales bites or the UFC rebooks remains to be seen, but Garry is making sure the 170-pound division knows he's not the one holding things up.
I've been saying for a while that Michael Morales has all the tools to be champion, but you don't get there by ducking fights. Garry is not an easy matchup for anyone at 170, and the fact that he's willing to fly to Saudi Arabia on short-ish notice to main event tells you everything.
Morales wanting the Prates fight makes sense on paper. A win there is a straight shot at the belt. But turning down a main event against a guy who just challenged for the title? That's not a good look when you're trying to prove you belong at the top. The UFC notices who says yes.
Garry at his best is a nightmare to deal with. Morales should take this fight, put him away, and then nobody can deny him Prates or anyone else. Sitting out only works until the promotion decides to move on without you.
