Ian Machado Garry returned to winning ways at UFC Kansas City, although he faced a significant scare late in the fight against Carlos Prates.
“The Future” secured a unanimous decision victory over Prates in Saturday`s main event. The official scorecards read 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46 in Garry`s favor. However, these scores don`t fully convey how close Prates came to pulling off a major upset.
After Garry appeared to be ahead on the scorecards through the first three rounds, Prates mounted a fierce comeback in the later stages. He effectively took control of Round 4 with a late flurry of impactful punches. Round 5 saw Prates largely dominate, culminating in heavy ground-and-pound that had Garry looking visibly hurt and potentially moments away from being stopped. Despite the intense pressure, Garry managed to survive the round and reach the final bell.
The dramatic conclusion to the fight sparked considerable reaction among professional fighters watching. Several felt that Carlos Prates was right there and should have been able to finish Garry. Sergio Pettis, for instance, commented on Twitter, “Prates could have finished that shit. Bad decisions at the end.”
Other notable fighters who weighed in included Henry Cejudo, Casey O’Neill, and Derek Brunson. Many joined the discussion, pondering whether Prates had enough opportunity or energy left to complete his rally and secure a finish against Garry.
