The T-Mobile Center in Kansas City will host an explosive welterweight showdown this Saturday, April 26, as Ian Machado Garry aims to bounce back from his first professional defeat against the dangerous Carlos Prates in the UFC Kansas City main event.
Machado Garry (15-1), currently ranked seventh in the division, is making his first appearance since suffering a loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov in a welterweight eliminator bout. The Irish fighter finds himself in his first UFC main event opportunity, looking to impress fans and matchmakers alike as he attempts to climb back into championship contention.
Across the octagon, 13th-ranked Carlos Prates (21-6) brings an impressive combat sports pedigree as a former Muay Thai and kickboxing champion. The Brazilian has built significant momentum with four victories already in 2024 and sees this matchup as his chance to continue his ascent through the welterweight ranks.
The verbal exchanges have already heated up, with Prates telling MMA Fighting: "He's in the UFC for four years, if I'm not mistaken, and never headlined a card. He only won one bonus, poor guy. And now he has the opportunity to be the main event, an opportunity to make more money."
Prates didn't stop there, adding: "First, because he took this fight on short notice only because they offered him a lot of money. And second, he's the main event. After this fight, even though he'll get a beating, he'll thank me for the opportunity I gave him to make good money."
According to Statbet analysis, this matchup features one of the most interesting stylistic contrasts in recent welterweight bouts, with Machado Garry's technical precision facing Prates' aggressive striking background.
The main card begins at 9 p.m. ET, with preliminary bouts starting at 6 p.m. ET. Machado Garry and Prates are expected to make their walk to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on the duration of earlier fights.
The event features a stacked lineup of compelling matchups, including Anthony Smith vs. Zhang Mingyang in the light heavyweight division, Giga Chikadze vs. David Onama at featherweight, and Michel Pereira taking on Abusupiyan Magomedov in a middleweight contest.
Additional bouts on the main card include Ikram Aliskerov vs. Andre Muniz and Randy Brown vs. Nicolas Dalby. The preliminary card offers eight additional fights spanning multiple weight classes, providing fight fans with a full evening of high-level mixed martial arts action.
