A 11-Fight winning streak broken! At UFC Kansas City, Ian Machado Garry proved why he should be feared in the welterweight division. The Irishman took on ‘Fighting Nerd’ sensation Carlos Prates on just 25 days’ notice. While many expected him to face a real challenge, Garry defied the odds in spectacular fashion, dominating the fight from start to finish.

His performance was nothing short of a statement, proving that he is truly one to watch in the welterweight division. With this victory, Garry has now set his sights on the ultimate prize–the welterweight title, which is officially confirmed to be his next target.

With a career record of 21 victories and 6 defeats, Carlos Prates embraced the Octagon with a record of 11 straight victories, out of which 10 came by way of knockout. Ian Garry was locked onto his target. In what could be considered one of his best performances, the Irishman outclassed Prates to secure a unanimous decision victory. As the dust settled, Garry officially announced that he would be the backup for the UFC 315 headliner between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena.

During the in-Octagon interview, Garry revealed that he has been booked by the UFC CEO, Dana White, to be the official back-up fighter for the UFC 315 main event.“And this is what’s next for me: 21 days’ notice against Shavkat, 25 days’ notice against this man today. When, 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 Chute Boxe.”  As he made the announcement, reporters inquired about it to UFC CEO Dana White, and his answer was a simple “yes.”

What does this mean for Ian Garry? Well, the outspoken Irishman is now officially in the title race, and he might even get a shot at the welterweight gold before Shavkat Rakhmonov. This is largely due to his higher activity level and the ease with which he can be marketed, thanks to his charisma that reminds fans of the old Conor McGregor.

Ahead of his battle against the Brazilian sensation, Garry emphasized that he should officially be in the title race. Despite losing to Rakhmonov at UFC 310, he put on a great performance. It’s important to note that he was fighting on short notice in both his last fights. Regardless, ‘The Future’ is in the title race now! Given that, let us have a look at what ensued between them.

How did the fight between Ian Garry and Carlos Prates go down?

Carlos Prates was the fan favourite for the fight, considering his 11-fight winning streak and back-to-back knockout victories, however, Ian Garry had a different plan. The fight kicked off with ample pace, as the Irishman and Prates exchanged leg kicks, with Garry slowly taking control by landing a precision combination.

‘The Nightmare’ was aggressive in his approach, and his defense was on point as well. Despite that, the Brazilian struggled to find his rhythm and was tripped by Machado Garry at the end of the first, who followed up with some ground and pound. Round 2 saw Machado Garry attempt a takedown, though Prates defended well.

Prates kept his rhythm, but his pace was limited, while on the other hand, ‘The Future’ came in blazing against him. As the third round opened, ‘The Future’ had complete control of the fight as he unleashed a combination capped with a stunning uppercut that staggered Prates before scoring his first takedown.

Carlos Prates managed to get back on his feet, but his rhythm was off. In the final rounds, both Prates and Garry struggled to subdue each other. Prates even secured a takedown and unleashed brutal ground and pound, pushing Machado Garry to the limit, but couldn’t secure the finish before the bell.

As the fight ended, Prates knew that his undefeated record in the UFC had been broken as the judges scored the card in Ian Garry’s favour. With the victory, Garry is back in the winning column with his eyes set on the welterweight gold. Given that, what are your thoughts on the battle? State your opinion in the comments below.