<
        >

          Ian Machado Garry gets Carlos Prates next in April UFC headliner

          • Brett OkamotoApr 1, 2025, 07:42 PM ET
            Close
              Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: "Chuck and Tito," which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.
            Follow on X

          A high-profile welterweight matchup between Ian Machado Garry and Carlos Prates will headline UFC Fight Night on April 26, the promotion announced on Tuesday.

          The 170-pound contest replaces the event's original light heavyweight headliner of Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Jr., which fell through due to injury, though the UFC did not reveal specific details. UFC Fight Night is scheduled to take place at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

          Prates (21-6) was scheduled to face Geoff Neal at UFC 314 next weekend in Miami, but Neal was forced off the card due to injury. The UFC had teased a new matchup for Prates, and that has now been revealed to be against Machado Garry in his first main event in the UFC. A 31-year-old Brazilian, Prates enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2024, recording four knockouts, including three in the first round.

          Machado Garry (15-1) is coming off the first loss of his career, a three-round decision to Shavkat Rakhmonov in December. Despite the loss, the Irish contender's stock has remained very high, with an overall UFC record of 8-1.

          Machado Garry and Prates are the UFC's No. 7 and No. 13-ranked welterweights, respectively.