Ian Machado Garry secured a unanimous decision victory over Carlos Prates in the UFC Kansas City main event, overcoming a late surge from his opponent in a masterful five-round performance.
Throughout the fight, Garry showcased superior movement and striking, effectively keeping Prates off balance and constantly outworking him on the feet. He also integrated timely takedowns that disrupted Prates` attempts to find a consistent rhythm until the closing moments of the bout.
It was in the final round that Prates finally landed some significant damaging shots, including powerful ground and pound. However, this offensive came too late to sway the outcome. The judges ultimately scored the contest 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46 in favor of Garry, awarding him the unanimous decision.
Speaking about his opponent, Garry stated, “I know how dangerous that man is. I have nothing but respect for him. I said it to him after the fight, he’s Brazilian — half of my soul is Brazilian. My name is Machado Garry. I want to see all these Brazilians go to the top and that man hits like a truck.”
Garry frequently employed movement to evade Prates` heavy power shots while simultaneously using a variety of right high kicks to limit the effectiveness of the Brazilian`s dangerous left hand. Just before the end of the first round, a slip from Prates led to him falling to the canvas, where Garry capitalized by landing a hard punch that opened a small cut under Prates` eye.
As Garry settled into his rhythm and grew more comfortable in the striking exchanges, Prates` offensive output remained notably low. His relative inactivity allowed Garry to pick his shots effectively, landing clean strikes such as a strong right hand and an inside elbow.
Garry delivered a clinical performance on the feet, consistently keeping Prates guessing. He even mixed in several takedown attempts to further control the action. Prates began throwing his signature kicks later in the fight, deep into the third round, but they lacked the impact needed to significantly disrupt Garry`s game plan.
Continuing his dominant display, Garry connected with a nasty uppercut that violently snapped Prates’ head back. Garry followed up, briefly taking Prates down, though the grappling exchange was short-lived before they returned to striking.
Garry kept blending in takedown attempts, seemingly working to wear down Prates and deplete his energy reserves. Garry consistently landed combinations of three and four strikes in succession, while Prates primarily responded with single shots.
With time running out in the fourth round, Prates finally landed a stiff punch that undeniably got Garry`s attention. Garry appeared momentarily rocked, and Prates immediately began looking for a potential fight-ending blow.
This led to a reversal during a late takedown attempt, with Prates landing heavy ground and pound. However, Garry remained elusive as the final seconds ticked away. Post-fight, Garry maintained he was never in serious trouble but acknowledged the need to be cautious given Prates` finishing power.
“I was completely in control,” Garry asserted. “I just wanted to be smart and safe and not do something stupid because that can happen in these types of fights. The guy’s a legend. I appreciate him. He’s been on a tear but I told everyone what I was going to do, I was going to outclass him and I believe I did that.”
This victory puts Garry back on the winning path after his loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov in a No. 1 contender`s bout last December. He expressed hope that this win would re-establish his standing in the division. His next announced plan is to attend UFC 315 in Montreal to closely watch the main event between champion Belal Muhammad and challenger Jack Della Maddalena.
Garry concluded by publicly declaring his next steps: “This is what’s next for me! 21 days’ notice against Shavkat [Rakhmonov]. 25 days’ notice against this man tonight. He’s a beast. Well, in two weeks’ time, I’m flying to Canada. I’m the official backup for the world title fight and I’m next in line for that world title!”
