Rising star Garry booked vs. Luque at UFC 296

Up-and-comer Ian Garry will face exciting veteran Vicente Luque at UFC 296 on Dec. 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.

Garry (13-0) is 6-0 in the UFC and coming off a dominant, unanimous decision win over Neil Magny at UFC 292 on Aug. 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.

Luque (22-9-1) beat former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos via unanimous decision Aug. 12. The Brazilian-Chilean fighter, who trains out of Florida, has won five of his past seven fights. Luque, 31, has the second-most finishes in UFC welterweight history (13).

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.

White announced two other UFC 296 main event fights Friday: Paddy Pimblett vs. Tony Ferguson and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov.