Tag: Carlos Prates

Ian Machado Garry promises to finish Carlos Prates at UFC on ESPN 66: ‘I feel it in my heart’

Ian Machado Garry is oozing confidence as he takes on a surging contender at UFC on ESPN 66.

[autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] is oozing confidence as he takes on a surging contender at UFC on ESPN 66.

Machado Garry (15-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) faces [autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag] (21-6 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in the April 26 welterweight main event at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.

Prates has been on a tear since joining the UFC roster, scoring four knockouts and four Performance of the Night bonuses. Machado Garry knows the Brazilian is dangerous but has a gut feeling that he’ll emerge victorious in emphatic fashion.

“I think he’s been successful, I think he’s done very well, and there’s a reason he’s on a 10-fight knockout streak, and fair play to him,” Machado Garry said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “That’s great. I think his team is phenomenal, I love watching his team, I think his team are awesome. They’re having a lot of success at the moment, and they’re a lot of fun to watch. I’m impressed with him to a certain extent. Then I think of him as an opponent and I’m like, ‘Hmm, that’s not going to work out well for you, mate.’

“I’m of the most elite welterweights on the planet. So, if this man thinks he’s as good as he is, and when he steps across the octagon April 26 against me, that’s his do-or-don’t time. I promise you, you’ve seen it from me every time when I step into the octagon, I look phenomenal. And, I promise you right now, I promise you, I feel it in my heart, see it every time I close my eyes, I’m going to finish this guy.”

Machado Garry vs. Prates came together on short notice after the original UFC on ESPN 66 headliner between Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree was scrapped. This will mark the second-straight fight where Machado Garry competes on short notice after he lost a unanimous decision to Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 this past December.

The risk didn’t pay off for Machado Garry last time so, why try it again?

“Is that not what I’m in this sport for?,” Machado Garry responded. “The excitement, the yeah f*ck it, let’s go, let’s have a short notice fight against one of the most dangerous up and comers in the UFC. Let’s do it, why not? That’s the type of things that excite me, that makes me want to go out and prove to the world that I’m the best.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 66.

Ian Machado Garry vs. Carlos Prates: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC on ESPN 66 main event

Ian Machado Garry has opened up as a slight favorite over Carlos Prates at UFC on ESPN 66.

[autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] will look to halt [autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag]’ momentum in the UFC on ESPN 66 headliner.

Ian Machado Garry vs. Carlos Prates preview

Machado Garry (15-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) vs. Prates came together on short notice after the original UFC on ESPN 66 main event between Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree fell apart. Machado Garry suffered his first-career loss in a No. 1 contender bout against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 this past December.

Surging welterweight contender Prates (21-6 MMA, 4-0 UFC) has earned Performance of the Night bonuses in all four of his knockout wins in the UFC. The Brazilian is part of the red-hot Fighting Nerds team, which has produced Caio Borralho, Jean Silva, and Mauricio Ruffy.

Ian Machado Garry vs. Carlos Prates odds

According to BetWay, Machado Garry is a slight -138 favorite to hand Prates his first octagon loss. Prates is a +110 underdog.

How to watch Ian Machado Garry vs. Carlos Prates at UFC on ESPN 66

  • When: Saturday, April 26, 2025
  • Where: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Mo.
  • Broadcast/streaming: ESPN, ESPN+

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 66.

Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: UFC 314 preview, Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley 2, PFL review, more

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel previews UFC 314, reacts to Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley 2, and more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Dan Tom and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • UFC on ESPN 65 was host of a big win at 145 pounds. In the main event, [autotag]Lerone Murphy[/autotag] defeated [autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag] in a unanimous decision. We discuss Murphy’s big win, where he goes next, plus other key bouts from the Las Vegas card.
  • The PFL hosted its first event of the season in Olando, Fla. We review and dissect 2025 PFL World Tournament 1, and the new changes the promotion implemented starting this year. We also discuss the results from the card, including [autotag]Jason Jackson[/autotag]’s nasty submission win over [autotag]Andrey Koreshkov[/autotag]
  • There were some big fight bookings announced this past week. For starters, UFC CEO Dana White announced the two title fights that will be headlining UFC 316 – [autotag]Merab Dvalishvili[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] 2, and [autotag]Julianna Peña[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag]. Additionally, [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] returns to fight [autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag], and flyweight contenders [autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag] and [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] ink another contract to fight each other. We break down and give early predictions for these big bookings.
  • Lastly, we end the show with a preview for Saturday’s UFC 314. This stacked pay-per-view, which goes down in Miami, hosts a title fight for the vacant featherweight belt between [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] and [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag]. Also, UFC star [autotag]Paddy Pimblett [/autotag] takes a giant step in his career when he faces former Bellator champion [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] in the co-main event. We preview these bouts, plus many other key fights on the card.

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Michael Bisping: ‘Fair play’ to Ian Machado Garry for fighting Carlos Prates at UFC on ESPN 66

Michael Bisping credits Ian Machado Garry for facing Carlos Prates on short notice.

[autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag] credits [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] for facing [autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag] on short notice.

Garry (15-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) takes on Prates (21-6 MMA, 4-0 UFC) April 26 in the UFC on ESPN 66 main event at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.

Prates was already in camp, but for Geoff Neal at UFC 314 on April 12. His bout was scrapped when Neal withdrew. Machado Garry didn’t have a fight booked, but jumped on the opportunity when the promotion was offered a new UFC on ESPN 66 main event after Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree was canceled.

“I think it makes all the sense in the world,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel. “For Carlos Prates, it’s a chance to get a big win over somebody like Ian Garry. And for Ian Machado Garry, he gets to step in there with a hot prospect right now. Someone that’s knocking everybody out, someone that’s a lot of fun, someone that likes to party, someone who doesn’t give a sh*t what people think.”

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This marks the second-straight time Garry will be facing a dangerous contender on short notice. This past December, Garry was pulled from his UFC on ESPN 63 headliner vs. Joaquin Buckley in order to face Shavkat Rakhmonov a week earlier in a five-round title eliminator at UFC 310. He lost the bout by unanimous decision.

“Fair play to Ian Garry for stepping up to the plate here because this is not an easy matchup,” Bisping said. “Ian Garry, what is he going to do? I don’t think he’s going to go out there and look to take down Carlos Prates. Yes, of course it’s mixed martial arts, but Carlos Prates training with the Fighting Nerds, these guys are ready for everything.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 66.

Carlos Prates: Jack Della Maddalena won’t be a ‘hard fight’ for Belal Muhammad at UFC 315

Carlos Prates doesn’t see Jack Della Maddalena being a stern test for UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad.

[autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag] doesn’t see [autotag]Jack Della Maddalena[/autotag] as a stern test for UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag].

Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) defends his welterweight title against Della Maddalena (17-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) May 10 in the UFC 315 main event (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) at Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Surging contender Prates confidently predicts a Muhammad win.

“I think Belal’s going to win,” Prates told Home of Fight. “Jack Della Maddalena looks like a good fighter, but he fought one time Kevin Holland and he won by split decision. Then he fought another guy, I don’t remember the name, he’s not even anymore in the UFC, and then he fought Gilbert Burns and he was losing the fight, and in the last minute he won the fight.

“OK, it’s good but only his good win is against Gilbert Burns, and Belal Muhammad has been beating a lot of guys really good. I would like to see Jack Della Maddalena as a champ because he’s striker and things like that, but I think Belal Muhammad’s going to win. It’s not going to be a hard fight.”

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After four knockouts and four Performance of the Night bonuses to kick off his octagon tenure, Fighting Nerds’ Prates (21-6 MMA, 4-0 UFC) will look to emerge as a top contender when he takes on Ian Machado Garry (15-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) April 26 in the UFC on ESPN 66 main event at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 315.

Ian Machado Garry reacts to short-notice Carlos Prates headliner with excitement

Ian Machado Garry relishes the opportunity to save the UFC on ESPN 66 main event.

[autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] relishes the opportunity to save UFC on ESPN 66.

After the original headliner between Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree was scrapped due to a Hill injury, the UFC needed a big fight to fill the spot. The promotion ended up with an exciting welterweight matchup between Machado Garry (15-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) and [autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag] (21-6 MMA, 4-0 UFC), which takes place April 26 at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.

Despite not having a fight booked, Machado Garry said he had no hesitation to accept the UFC’s call. Meanwhile, Prates was already in camp to fight Geoff Neal at UFC 314 on April 12 before Neal was forced out.

“Right, it’s official. You’ve got a new main event,” Garry said on his Instagram. “Kansas City, Missouri, me vs. Carlos Prates, April 26, I’m excited. Why? The UFC go, ‘Ah, we need someone. Who do we need? Who do we call?’ You call me. Why? Because I’m a real fighter who wants to fight the best in the world.

“I’m going to show everybody how good I am. Carlos Prates is awesome, but this is my world. I love to fight. There’s nothing more I love in this world than fighting. Kansas City, Missouri, let’s go. Ireland, get your tickets, get your flights. Brazil, get your tickets, get your flights.”

Machado Garry will look to rebound from his first-career loss, a unanimous decision to Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 this past December. Surging contender Prates has torn through his competition in the UFC so far, scoring four knockouts and four Performance of the Night bonuses – most recently over Neil Magny in the UFC Fight Night 247 main event in November.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 66.

Ian Machado Garry returns to fight Carlos Prates in new UFC Kansas City headliner

A new matchup between Ian Machado Garry and Carlos Prates now sits at the top of the UFC event headling to Kansas City in April.

The UFC on ESPN 66 event set for Kansas City, Mo., now has a new headliner.

On April 26 at T-Mobile Center, Ian Machado Garry returns to action to face the surging Carlos Prates in an exciting welterweight headliner. The new main event replaces Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree, which was the initial headliner for the event. The promotion officially announced the news Tuesday.

Ireland’s Machado Garry (15-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) will look to rebound from the first professional loss of his career. At UFC 310 in December, the previously undefeated contender came up short on the scorecards against unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov in what was billed as a title eliminator. Machado Garry won his first eight UFC fights, a streak that included three finishes.

Brazil’s Prates (21-6 MMA, 4-0 UFC) had a banner debut year in 2024. He racked up four wins with four stoppages and four Performance of the Night bonuses. Trevin Giles, Charles Radtke, Li Jingliang and Neil Magny were all stopped before the end of Round 2.

With the addition, the UFC Fight Night event in Kanas City includes:

  • Ian Machado Garry vs. Carlos Prates
  • Anthony Smith vs. Zhang Mingyang
  • Giga Chikadze vs. David Onama
  • Michel Pereira vs. Abus Magomedov
  • Ikram Aliskerov vs. Andre Muniz
  • Randy Brown vs. Nicolas Dalby
  • Jimmy Flick vs. Matt Schnell
  • Evan Elder vs. Ahmad Hassanzada
  • Jaqueline Amorim vs. Polyana Viana
  • Cameron Saaiman vs. Malcolm Wellmaker
  • Chelsea Chandler vs. Joselyne Edwards

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Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: UFC Mexico results, Cain Velasquez sentencing, Conor McGregor done fighting?

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” we discuss the UFC Mexico results, Cain Velasquez’s sentencing, Conor McGregor latest comments, and more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:

  • [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] finally has a UFC win on home soil. After going 0-2-1 fighting in Mexico under the UFC banner, Moreno defeated [autotag]Steve Erceg[/autotag] this past Saturday in the main event of UFC on ESPN 64. Should Moreno get the next crack at champion Alexandre Pantoja? We discuss Moreno’s big win, plus other key results from UFC Mexico.
  • [autotag]Cain Velasquez[/autotag] received a five-year sentence in prison for a 2022 shooting. This put an end to a heartbreaking case that troubled the MMA community for a while. Velasquez shot a vehicle that had a man who allegedly molested Velasquez’s 4-year-old son at a daycare. Velasquez was credited with 1,283 days of previously time served, meaning he’ll have to serve 542 days behind bars. We react to the verdict of the case and the MMA community’s response.
  • Is [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] done fighting? Well, the UFC superstar made some recent comments that signaled, to many, McGregor’s true intentions on a potential return to the cage. Will we ever see the Irishman set foot in the octagon again? We discuss.
  • New signings, new bookings, and matchups falling through. The often repeating headlines seen week to week in the sport. We discuss [autotag]Kyoji Horiguchi[/autotag]’s return to the UFC, the announcement of the inaugural GFL cards, [autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag]’s withdrawal from his [autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag] fight, and more.
  • Lastly, we end the show with a look ahead at the two major events going down this weekend: PFL 1, 2025 and UFC on ESPN 65. We preview [autotag]Josh Emmett[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Lerone Murphy[/autotag], and the welterweight and featherweight tournaments kicking off at Thursday’s PFL event.

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Carlos Prates teases ‘big news’ after Geoff Neal injury scraps UFC 314 fight

The stacked UFC 314 fight card has taken its first hit with the cancellation of Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates.

The stacked UFC 314 fight card has taken its first hit with the cancellation of [autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag].

UFC officials announced Saturday that Neal (16-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC) has sustained an undisclosed injury and has been forced to withdraw from the welterweight contest against Prates (21-6 MMA, 4-0 UFC) on the April 12 card at Kaseya Center in Miami (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+).

As a result, Prates will not get a replacement opponent for the card and will be shifted to a different opportunity in the future. UFC play-by-play commentator Jon Anik noted during the injury announcement that big news could be on the horizon for Prates, and the surging 170-pound contender indicated as much on social media.

A timeline for Neal’s injury recovery and return are unknown at this time.

The latest UFC 314 lineup now includes:

  • Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes – for vacant featherweight title
  • Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett
  • Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva
  • Patricio Freire vs. Yair Rodriguez
  • Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes
  • Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson
  • Virna Jandiroba vs. Yan Xiaonan
  • Chase Hooper vs. Jim Miller
  • Sedriques Dumas vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
  • Darren Elkins vs. Julian Erosa
  • Su Mudaerji vs. Mitch Raposo
  • Alberto Montes vs. Roberto Romero
  • Tresean Gore vs. Marco Tulio
  • Nora Cornolle vs. Hailey Cowan

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.

Video: ‘UFC 314: Volkanovski vs. Lopes’ press conference live stream replay

The entire stacked UFC 314 main card, headlined by Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes, will attend a Thursday press conference.

LAS VEGAS – The first UFC 314 press conference takes place Thursday, and you can watch a live stream of the event in the video above. The press conference takes place at Michelob Ultra Arena.

In advance of the loaded event, which takes place April 12 at Kaseya Center in Miami (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN/Disney+, ESPN+), a number of notable athletes, including [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC) and [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag] (26-6 MMA, 5-1 UFC), who meet for the vacant featherweight title left behind by Ilia Topuria, in the main event.

Here’s what you need to know about the UFC 314 press conference.

What time does the UFC 314 press conference start?

The UFC 314 press conference starts at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

Who’s taking part in the UFC 314 press conference?

Ten fighters from the five main-card bouts are slated to participate in the UFC 314 press conference: Volkanovski, Lopes, [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag], [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag], [autotag]Yair Rodriguez[/autotag], [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag], [autotag]Bryce Mitchell[/autotag], [autotag]Jean Silva[/autotag], [autotag]Geoff Neal[/autotag] and [autotag]Carlos Prates[/autotag].

It’s unclear if UFC CEO [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] will oversee the UFC 314 pre-fight press conference.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 314.