Ian Machado Garry is brimming with confidence as he prepares to face Carlos Prates, a rising star in the welterweight division.
On Tuesday, UFC officially announced that Garry and Prates will headline UFC Kansas City on April 26 in a welterweight clash. This matchup replaces the originally scheduled light heavyweight main event between Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr., which was removed from the card due to unforeseen circumstances.
Garry is currently ranked No. 6 in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings. While Prates is unranked, he has quickly become a fighter to watch after a stellar UFC debut year in 2024. He secured four victories, all by knockout, and earned Performance of the Night bonuses in each fight.
Following the fight announcement, Garry took to Instagram to send a clear message to Prates.
“I’m excited,” Garry stated. “The UFC asks, ‘Who do we need? Who do we call?’ They call me. Why? Because I am a true fighter who wants to compete against the best in the world. I am going to demonstrate my abilities to everyone. Carlos Prates is impressive, but this is my world. I love to fight. There is nothing I enjoy more than fighting.”
“Kansas City, let’s get ready. Ireland, book your tickets and flights. Brazil, secure your tickets and flights.”
Similar to Prates, Garry started his UFC journey with an impressive undefeated streak, winning his first eight bouts before facing the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 last December. Rakhmonov won by unanimous decision, but the competitive three-round fight did not significantly damage Garry’s reputation. Now, he aims to halt Prates’ momentum.
Prates, who trains with the renowned Fighting Nerds team alongside fighters like Caio Borralho, Mauricio Ruffy, and Jean Silva, is currently on an 11-fight winning streak. In his most recent fight last November, “The Nightmare” needed less than a round to knockout veteran welterweight Neil Magny.
