Ian Garry’s former opponent cut from the UFC after suffering back-to-back losses in surprise development
Ian Garry faced Daniel Rodriguez at UFC Charlotte in May, and during the bout, the seasoned welterweight suffered a first-round knockout loss due to a head kick.
Prior to that match, 'D-Rod' experienced a third-round submission loss to Neil Magny in November 2022, which ended his four-fight winning streak. However, this bout marked the inception of the conclusion of Rodriguez's tenure in the UFC.
As per a recent report from UFC Roster Tracker on X (formerly Twitter), Rodriguez has been released from the UFC roster. This is believed to be a consequence of a recent failed drug test. The 36-year-old American had recently been handed a six-month suspension by the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) for testing positive for ostarine during an out-of-competition drug screening ahead of his bout against Santiago Ponzinibbio at Noche UFC on September 16.
When Ian Garry faced off against Daniel Rodriguez, 'The Future' didn't waste any time in asserting his dominance. About halfway into the first round, just as 'D-Rod' was attempting to find his footing, Garry delivered a stunning right head kick, followed by a ferocious ground-and-pound assault, prompting the referee to stop the fight at 2 minutes and 57 seconds into the very first round.
What's even more remarkable is that Ian Garry had accurately foretold how he would conquer Rodriguez before the bout.
Fan reactions pour in as Ian Garry's former opponent exits UFC
The UFC's decision to release Daniel Rodriguez prompted a diverse range of reactions from fans.
One fan wrote:
"gonna be harder to afford ostraine now"
Another wrote:
"He wins 7/8 vs people like Kevin Lee and Li Jingliang before losing to Neil Magny and Ian Garry and gets cut???"
Check out some more reactions below:
"Of course, that’s why he said see you again to Dana when they last spoke"
"D-Rod gone? Wtf"
"no way what?! This is BS!!! who cares if he pissed hot once or twice..."
"Good he was never good waste of air time"
"He was 36 anyways and lost his biggest fight"
"No way, there has to be something more behind this