Ian Machado Garry Aims to Bounce Back Against Carlos Prates in Kansas City
Ian Machado Garry, nicknamed ‘The Future’, is hoping to provide an explosive reminder of his skills when he faces welterweight rival Carlos Prates in Kansas City on Saturday night. The Irishman is looking to bounce back from a close decision defeat to Shavkat Rakhmonov in December and stake his claim for a welterweight UFC title shot.
According to Sky Sports, Machado Garry is planning to deliver an emphatic victory in the main event that will restore his reputation. In an interview with Sky Sports MMA Club, he said, "That [Shavkat fight] was so much fun and I enjoyed every second of it. I enjoyed the short notice [call-up,] the excitement preparing for this boogeyman that they called him."
Machado Garry believes he has the skills to dominate Prates, stating, "I am far better than I believed I was, go show the world. I do not see Carlos Prates getting to the end of the second [round] and if he does, fair play to him. But then I’m not going to let him get past the third." His bout against Prates comes only a few weeks prior to current champion Belal Muhammad defending his welterweight strap against Jack Della Maddalena, who replaced the injured Rakhmonov.
Despite his loss to Rakhmonov, Machado Garry believes he should still have been considered as an opponent for Muhammad. He expressed his frustration, saying, "I feel like when you do a number one contender fight, and fair enough my hand didn’t get raised and I don’t believe I won the fight, I believe it was 3-2 to Shavkat. [However], when Shavkat can’t compete because of an injury to his knee that I absolutely caused in that fight. I may not have won the battle, but I won the war. [So,], to not even get a call [from the UFC] I felt was disrespectful."
Machado Garry was particularly irked by the UFC’s decision to give Della Maddalena a title shot, saying, "I was seething, just seething when I found out they were giving it to a guy that has been injured and hasn’t fought for a year. For me it was more of a respect thing." He added, "I know what Jack [Maddalena] has done and what Jack can do in this division. It’s not against him, but the guy has been battling injury."
A statement performance is imperative for Machado Garry against Prates, who has formed an 11-fight win streak. He said, "April 26 when I knock out Carlos Prates, you’ll see [how I demand a title shot.] That’s my way of doing things, I don’t need to talk [constantly over social media]. I don’t need to say it to your face, but I’ll say it after when I’m on that microphone."
Machado Garry also believes that a fight against Muhammad would be more intriguing than Della Maddalena’s title shot, stating, "The truth is [Maddalena] vs Belal isn’t as interesting as Machado Garry vs Belal and that’s the reality of the situation. I am far more interesting in and outside the octagon. There is going to be more people paying for pay-per-views and more people paying to be in that be in that arena [to] watch my main event."
As reported by Sky Sports, Machado Garry’s goal is clear: to make a statement against Prates and push his claim for a title shot against Muhammad. With a win, he hopes to prove that he is the future of the welterweight division.
In a recent interview, Machado Garry explained why he felt ‘disrespected’ by the UFC’s decision to give Jack Della Maddalena a title shot against Belal Muhammad instead of him. This comes as he prepares to face Carlos Prates in Kansas City on Saturday night.
The source of this article, Sky Sports, has provided further insights into Machado Garry’s strategy and mindset going into the fight.
