Ian Machado Garry earned a gutsy win at UFC Kansas City last weekend, but it’s what happened off-stage that really caught fans’ attention. A tense moment nearly unfolded between Garry and rival Joaquin Buckley, until Garry’s wife stepped in and stole the spotlight.
Joaquin Buckley’s Attempted Face-Off with Ian Machado Garry Cut Short by Unexpected Interruption.
Joaquin Buckley, who’s scheduled to fight former champion Kamaru Usman at UFC Atlanta on June 14, was in Kansas City hoping to send a message to Garry. The two were originally slated to fight at UFC Tampa last Dec before card changes nixed the matchup. Since then, Buckley has made it clear he still wants that bout.
Standing near the stage during weigh-ins, Buckley tried to confront Garry after his face-off with Carlos Prates. As Garry walked to the edge of the stage, Buckley stood up, looking ready to exchange words. But just before he could step in, Garry’s wife made her move.
Seated next to Buckley, she quickly stepped in front of him to hand their child to her husband, putting herself right between the two fighters. The moment cooled things off before they could escalate.
Buckley later posted a video of the interaction on Instagram, narrating the sequence in disbelief:
“I pull up… boom, she bumped right into me. She gone use the baby as a shield, pass him off to him… Then she touches my arm and says, ‘Imma see you later tonight.’ Girl, what the f— that mean. I’m trying to see him, not you.”
The internet quickly erupted. Fans praised her for the impromptu defense, with one writing, “Real talk, slick move from her. We gotta see these two fight at some point.”
Real talk, slick move from her.
We gotta see these two fight at some point.
— Nyelix (@nyelix) April 28, 2025
We gotta see these two fight at some point.” Another added, “She’s a real one. That is the kind of girl you want.” The moment has since gone viral, adding more heat to a rivalry that’s yet to play out inside the Octagon.
Garry Survives Late Scare to Defeat Carlos Prates in Kansas City
Inside the cage, Garry showed why he’s still one of the top welterweights. Over four rounds, he put on a sharp performance against Carlos Prates, landing a high volume of strikes and pushing for takedowns non-stop. He racked up over 260 significant strikes and 26 takedown attempts, wearing Prates down and controlling the fight on the scorecards.
But the fifth round flipped the script. With time running out, Prates came out swinging and had Garry on his heels. In his post-fight interview with Ariel Helwani, Garry admitted the final round wasn’t easy:
“He was more dangerous in that 5th round, like a wounded animal. He tried his best. Unfortunately, his best wasn’t good enough.”
With the win, Garry improves to 16-1 and is back in the welterweight title mix. He’s now confirmed as the backup fighter for the UFC 315 title bout between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena on May 10. Whether or not he gets called in, one thing’s clear—Garry knows how to keep the spotlight on him, inside the cage or out.