Farid Basharat gets John Garza at UFC 329 after injury swap
Farid Basharat will fight promotional newcomer John Garza—not Ethyn Ewing—at UFC 329 on July 11 after Ewing withdrew with an injury. The UFC confirmed the last-minute bantamweight swap on the Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway 2 card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, keeping the ranked contender on the lineup. Garza arrives on a five-fight winning streak for his promotional debut, while Yahoo Sports lists Basharat as the No. 10-ranked bantamweight on a card streaming live on Paramount+.
Key Takeaways
- Ethyn Ewing is out of the bantamweight bout with Farid Basharat at UFC 329 due to injury, per the UFC.
- John Garza replaces Ewing on short notice for his promotional debut, riding a five-fight win streak with three of his last four wins by knockout.
- The fight lands on the McGregor vs Holloway 2 card at T-Mobile Arena on July 11, with the full event streaming on Paramount+.
- Yahoo Sports lists Basharat as the No. 10-ranked bantamweight facing a regional prospect called up from the Texas circuit.
The change was announced in the UFC's official UFC 329 update on July 6, just days before fight week in Las Vegas. For fans tracking late card moves alongside other breaking alerts, see our Fintech & Crypto Alerts hub.
Why was Ethyn Ewing removed from UFC 329?
The UFC said Ewing was removed from his bantamweight bout with Farid Basharat due to injury. Yahoo Sports reported that Basharat's original opponent was forced to withdraw from the Paramount+-streamed card, triggering a search for a replacement at 135 pounds.
The swap keeps Basharat on the lineup rather than losing a ranked fighter from a card headlined by Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway 2. Late opponent changes are common in MMA, but this one came close enough to fight night that Garza had limited time to prepare.
Who is John Garza stepping in on short notice?
Garza is a 23-year-old bantamweight from Dallas who trains at Ranger MMA and built his record largely on the Texas regional scene. Fightomic reported he got the UFC call about six days before UFC 329, while his team was preparing for a Fury FC title fight back home.
The UFC noted he arrives on a five-fight winning streak, with three of his last four victories coming by knockout. Fightomic lists him at 6-1 as a pro, with a Fury FC run that included a second-round TKO of Josh Walker in January 2026.
Yahoo Sports described Garza as an up-and-coming regional fighter tapped for a promotional debut against No. 10-ranked Farid Basharat. Fightomic added that Basharat is unbeaten as a professional and unbeaten inside the Octagon, making this a steep first assignment for the fighter nicknamed Mowgli.
When and where does the Basharat vs Garza fight happen?
UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 takes place Saturday, July 11, 2026, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The UFC schedule lists early prelims at 5 p.m. ET, prelims at 7 p.m. ET, and the main card at 9 p.m. ET.
The entire event streams live on Paramount+, according to the promotion. Basharat vs Garza is part of the prelims on a card headlined by Conor McGregor's return against Max Holloway.
Why does this swap matter for Farid Basharat?
For Basharat, the opponent changed but the stakes did not. He still gets a bout on a high-profile McGregor-led card in Las Vegas, with Yahoo Sports placing him at No. 10 in the bantamweight rankings.
Garza brings knockout momentum and short-notice hunger, yet faces a fighter Fightomic describes as unbeaten in the UFC. How Basharat handles a debuting striker on days of notice could shape how quickly he moves up a crowded 135-pound division.