Ian Machado Garry secured a crucial victory over Carlos Prates in Kansas City, although not without facing difficulties.
Machado Garry (16-2) dominated Prates (21-7) for the first four rounds of the welterweight main event at UFC Fight Night. However, in the fifth round, Prates, known for his knockout power, tested the Irishman.
Despite Prates’ strikes, Machado Garry managed to hold on and secure the victory by unanimous decision of the judges, with scores of 49-46, 48-47, and 48-47.
I was conscious the whole time. I know how dangerous that man is. I wanted to be smart, not stupid, because that can happen in these types of fights. I appreciate that he’s on a roll, but I told everyone I would overcome him and I think I did.
Ian Machado Garry
The fifth round was tense, with Machado Garry bleeding from the nose and seeking takedowns to counter Prates’s offense. Machado Garry’s intelligence was key to neutralizing Prates for most of the fight and recovering from the hardest blows.
With this victory, the 27-year-old Irish fighter, who accepted the fight with little preparation time, improves his UFC record to 9-1. His only loss was against Shavkat Rakhmonov.
My goal in this game is to prove that I am one of the most complete fighters. I have Irish blood; 21 days’ notice against Shavkat, 25 days’ notice against Prates. And in two weeks, I fly to Canada. I am the official alternate for the title fight between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315.
Ian Machado Garry
During the first four rounds, Machado Garry demonstrated his superiority, outstriking Prates with 141-64 total strikes. His lateral movement and the use of the jab kept Prates guessing, in addition to attempting 19 takedowns.
In the co-main event, Anthony Smith announced his retirement from the sport after losing to Zhang Mingyang by TKO in the first round.
