Ian Machado Garry isn’t hopeful that he’ll see Colby Covington within the cage earlier than the tip of the yr.

Experiences emerged earlier this week that the UFC is focusing on Garry vs. Covington to headline its December occasion in Tampa, Florida — and whereas no official phrase has come from the organisation itself in regards to the still-hypothetical bout Dubliner Garry says that Covington has to date not expressed any curiosity within the battle.

Seventh-ranked UFC welterweight Garry has been vocally campaigning to battle Covington (ranked sixth) for a number of month, initially calling for a battle at UFC 303 in Las Vegas this previous summer season. Covington, although, who was reported on the time to be recovering from a foot damage sustained in his loss to then-champ Leon Edwards late final yr, didn’t settle for and Garry prolonged his unbeaten report with a choice victory over former Bellator stalwart Michael ‘Venom’ Web page.

“I’m approaching to let everybody know, maintain everybody within the loop and maintain everybody up to date as a result of it issues,” Garry stated in a video posted to his Instagram account.

“A month in the past I used to be supplied a battle with Colby Covington. It took me all of 20 seconds to answer the e-mail saying sure, I’m in. A month later we’ve nonetheless received no response from Colby. He’s avoiding me just like the plague and there’s one purpose and one purpose solely this battle isn’t occurring and his title is Colby Covington.”