Ryan Garcia, returning from a suspension, delivered a disappointing performance against Rolly Romero in Times Square, losing by unanimous decision and attributing his struggles to a year-long layoff and an unusual fight environment, while remaining open to future rematches based on fan interest.
Ryan Garcia knows he didn’t deliver. On Friday, he faced Rolly Romero in the main event of Fatal Fury: City of Wolves in Times Square, NYC. It was Garcia’s first fight back since his suspension for testing positive for Ostarine against Devin Haney in 2024. In his return, “King Ryan” turned in a listless, frustrating performance.
Romero dropped Garcia in the second round. Despite urgency from his corner, Garcia never got out of first gear, losing a clear unanimous decision. Afterward, he credited Romero but acknowledged his poor showing.
“Obviously, it wasn’t a good night for me,” Garcia admitted. “Rolly did what he does. He had a lot of good power shots, caught me in the second round. Even at the start, I just didn’t feel like my feet were under me.”
“That whole year, it was a lot for me, mentally,” Garcia continued. “But I’m extremely disappointed in the way I fought. It definitely isn’t my best.”
Commentators suggested the long layoff might have affected Garcia’s performance. The venue was also a factor. The fight took place in a walled-off section of Times Square with minimal fan attendance—quite different from the packed arenas Garcia is used to.
“I really wasn’t a fan of that at all,” Garcia said. “It felt like a sparring match. It just didn’t feel authentic to me. But no excuses. It is what it is.”
“It was just so weird,” he added. “Usually, once you step in the ring, everything fades away. This time, I could hear everything. It just felt like a weird fever dream.”
Garcia’s loss raises questions about what’s next. Both he and Haney competed on Friday, with a rematch supposed to follow. Romero’s win complicates that. Haney’s win over Jose Ramirez was unimpressive, so a rematch isn’t off the table. There’s also the possibility of a Garcia-Romero rematch.
“Whatever the fans want,” Garcia said. “If they want me to run it back with Rolly, let’s do it. If they want me to go straight for Devin, let’s do it. Styles make fights. I’m willing to fight either of them again.”