Sean Strickland has a one-word response to fan blaming him for Ian Garry pulling out of UFC 296 fight

Ian Garry had to withdraw from his welterweight bout against Vicente Luque at UFC 296 set for this weekend, citing health concerns related to pneumonia.

UFC CEO Dana White officially announced the news on Wednesday through social media. White stated:

"Ian Garry started with the flu that turned into pneumonia. So that fight is off and is not happening. It is true."

After the 25-year-old Irishman pulled out of UFC 296, jiu-jitsu grappler Jason Manly asserted that Sean Strickland might have contributed to Garry's decision to withdraw from the event:

"No one to blame but @stricklandmma 😂"

Strickland replied:

"@jasonmanly lmao!"

Check out the comments below:

Credits: Strickland and Manly's comments on Dana White's post on Instagram

'The Future' was initially slated for a press appearance on UFC 296 media day but failed to show up during the allotted time, sparking rumors about his absence. This raised concerns, particularly given his earlier worries about the "safety" of his family, a sentiment expressed following a contentious exchange with the UFC middleweight champion leading up to fight week.

The two UFC fighters have engaged in a public feud, with Strickland playing a role in spreading alleged rumors about Garry and his wife, Layla Anna-Lee. 'Tarzan' recently disclosed an apparent direct message from Garry threatening legal action for harassment and defamation of character.

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Brendan Schaub criticizes Ian Garry's wife over alleged PR mismanagement

Brendan Schaub strongly criticized the purported handling of recent controversies by Ian Garry's wife.

Ian Garry and his wife, Layla Anna-Lee, have recently become embroiled in a series of controversies. Anna-Lee, who authored the book 'How To Be a WAG' over a decade ago, is facing scrutiny for alleged advice on cultivating relationships with young professional athletes. Furthermore, a segment of the MMA community has accused the 40-year-old British television presenter of mishandling the public image of 'The Future'.

During a recent episode of The Fighter and The Kid, Schaub voiced his discontent with what he claimed to be Anna-Lee's strategy in handling Garry's public relations (PR):

"What him and his wife do, I don't know why anybody gives a sh*t about that stuff? But when it comes to the way she's handling his PR, it's atrocious. That's my issue with her, I don't care about anything else."

He added:

"I do think that kid has a chance to be a world champion. I think this is going to earn him more fans, especially if he handles it the right way and doesn't listen to his wife."

Check out Brendan Schaub's comments below (5:50):