Ian Machado Garry returned to winning ways with a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Carlos Prates at the UFC Fight Night held at Kansas City's T-Mobile Center. The Irish fighter prevailed after five grueling rounds with the judges scoring the contest 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46 in his favor.
The bout began cautiously with both fighters measuring each other in the opening round. As the fight progressed, Garry's striking prowess became increasingly evident, with his performance improving each round. The third round saw a significant moment when the Irishman successfully took Prates to the canvas, though the Brazilian defended well against Garry's offensive attempts.
Sensing he was behind on the scorecards, Prates elevated his aggression in the fourth round, landing powerful combinations that left Garry bloodied. According to Statbet analysis, comebacks in championship rounds occur in less than 15% of five-round UFC contests, highlighting the difficulty of Prates' challenge.
The final round featured dramatic moments as the Brazilian fighter, representing the Fighting Nerds team, managed to take Garry to the ground in search of a fight-ending ground and pound sequence. Despite absorbing significant damage, 'The Future' weathered the storm and emerged victorious when the final bell rang.
This victory marks an important comeback for Garry following his previous defeat to Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310. In a significant development for his career, UFC officials have confirmed that the Irish fighter will serve as the backup fighter for the upcoming UFC 315 event, where welterweight champion Belal Muhammad is scheduled to defend his title against challenger Jack Della Maddalena.
