
Carlos Prates is choosing not to engage in a heated online exchange with Ian Machado Garry as they approach their headline fight at UFC Kansas City on April 26th. However, he is not letting Garry`s verbal jabs go completely unanswered.
Garry had taken to social media to mock Prates about a previous MMA defeat in China, where Prates stopped fighting mid-bout. Garry labeled this as the “true fighting spirit” of a “quitter,” aiming to provoke his opponent.
“We were anticipating this kind of behavior,” Prates commented on Garry`s pre-fight trash talk. “It`s typical of him. He probably has a lot of spare time. I don’t, to be honest. I dedicate all my time to training, my commitments, interviews, and focusing on the upcoming fight. But this is all part of the game. He`s trying to promote the fight, gain more attention, and create hype. I understand that`s important and a part of the business, as I mentioned in my video response. I actually find it quite interesting.”
Prates has earned $50,000 performance bonuses for each of his four UFC knockout victories against notable opponents in 2024. He confidently predicts that Garry will be grateful to him after their main event showdown.
“We’ll see what happens after the fight,” Prates stated. “We have nine days until we`re locked in the cage and the talking stops. We`ll handle business as expected. And I assure you, deep down, he`ll be thanking me. He knows I accepted this fight. I gave him the main event opportunity.”
“He’s been in the UFC for four years, if I remember correctly, and has never headlined an event before,” Prates added. “He’s only received one bonus, poor guy. Now, he has the chance to be the main attraction and earn significantly more money. Firstly, he accepted this fight on short notice likely because of a substantial financial offer. And secondly, it`s a main event. Despite the likely beating he’ll receive, he`ll thank me for giving him this opportunity to make good money.”
While Prates always aims for a knockout victory, he isn`t taking Garry’s words personally to fuel extra aggression.
“I don’t feel the need to beat him down any more because of his comments; it doesn’t bother me,” Prates explained. “I just want to go in there and win in my usual style, you know? I’m not the type to think, ‘Oh, I need to really hurt this guy.’ No, man. He has his own career to continue after the fight. This is a business, it’s about money, you know? I’m paid to go there and win, but I want to win in a way that’s rewarding, a way that earns me a bonus, and that’s my focus.”
Regarding the MMA fight Garry referenced, Prates, representing Fighting Nerds, explained that he was not in optimal condition due to inadequate training.
“I was in terrible condition,” Prates admitted. “I spent a month in China, had two kickboxing matches, and then transitioned to an MMA fight. Plus, I had already suffered a serious eye poke. I was not in fighting shape at all. Being in China for a month, not training properly, dealing with the cold, cutting weight, and not eating because I couldn’t train properly. But that’s the past. It’s part of the journey. Things happen. On the 26th, things will be very different from what he saw in that video.”