John Garza will make his UFC debut against Farid Basharat on 11 July 2026 at UFC 329 after Ethyn Ewing withdrew injured. Garza was asked six days before the card to fly to Las Vegas and took the bout immediately.
The 23-year-old from Dallas, Texas, enters with a six-win, one-loss professional record and a five-fight winning streak. He trains out of Ranger MMA and had already been slated to headline for the Fury FC bantamweight title at Fury FC 123 in August.
Garza's fast rise
Garza turned professional in early 2024 after building an amateur record of 7-3. He opened his pro career with a first-round submission win, then was stopped with strikes two months later. From there, he went 4-0 under Fury Fighting Championship and added another finish at Fury FC 114 in January 2026.
That path put him in position for a different kind of step up: a short-notice UFC debut on a major card headlined by the return of Conor McGregor. The change came fast, and it moved Garza from a regional title plan into a higher-profile assignment in Las Vegas.
Farid Basharat at UFC 329
Farid Basharat brings an unbeaten professional record and remains unbeaten inside the Octagon. He is described as a chain-wrestling technician, and he is competing on the final fight of his current deal.
That combination turns the booking into a difficult first test for Garza. He is a short-notice underdog facing an unbeaten opponent with UFC experience, and the matchup leaves little room for a cautious debut.
Las Vegas on six days' notice
The fight is set for T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on 11 July 2026. For Garza, the immediate task is simple: make the trip, make weight, and turn a late replacement call into a UFC win on debut.
For readers following the card, the relevant change is already in place. Garza is in, Ewing is out, and Farid Basharat now has a new opponent on six days' notice.
