Ian Machado Garry stirred controversy ahead of his UFC Kansas City main event by calling his opponent, Carlos Prates, a “quitter.” The remark, which referenced a 2017 TKO loss suffered by Prates, triggered a fiery response from the Brazilian striker just days before their welterweight clash.
The fight, set for Saturday at T-Mobile Center, holds major implications in the 170-pound division, where Garry sits at No. 7 and Prates is quickly climbing the ranks.
Carlos Prates Hits Back at Ian Machado Garry Over ‘Quitter’ Comment
Ian Machado Garry’s verbal jab was brought up again during a recent interview with MMA Fighting, prompting Carlos Prates to fire back at the Irishman’s trash talk.
Ian Garry watches old footage of Carlos Prates and calls him a 'quitter' 😬
"This is a video of Carlos Prates and his true fighting spirit, called being a quitter…
He knows that deep down he's not a fighter."
🎥 @iangarryMMA #UFCKansasCity pic.twitter.com/ishMqNtven
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 16, 2025
“We already expected [him to talk trash]. It’s normal for him to do it,” Prates said. “He probably has a lot of free time. I don’t, brother. All the time, I’m training, doing my stuff, doing interviews, and staying focused on the fight. But that’s part of the game.”
Prates didn’t hold back, mocking Garry’s UFC track record while highlighting his own momentum.
“He’s been in the UFC for four years, if I’m not mistaken, and never headlined a card,” Prates noted. “He only won one bonus, poor guy. And now he has the opportunity to be the main event, an opportunity to make more money.”
Carlos Prates reacts to Ian Machado Garry’s "quitter" comments ahead of #UFCKansasCity:
"He's never headlined a card. He only won one bonus, poor guy. … He’ll thank me for the opportunity I gave him to make good money."
(🎥 @guicruzzz) pic.twitter.com/4rPuDjVC6q
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) April 22, 2025
Garry’s only UFC “Performance of the Night” bonus came for his 2023 knockout of Daniel Rodriguez.
UFC Champion Belal Muhammad Predicts Outcome of Kansas City Headliner
Welterweight champion Belal Muhammad offered his take on the matchup, noting the stylistic differences between the two fighters.
Ian Machado Garry enters the bout with a 15-1 record, bouncing back from his first professional loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310. Carlos Prates, on the other hand, is 4-0 in the UFC with all wins coming by knockout.
“Ian fights very smart,” Muhammad told MMA Junkie.”He understands how to win, and I think the experience in the Shavkat fight is going to help him in the Prates fight.”
“I think he’s going to use his distance, stay long, stick and move, stick and move, and I think he’s going to go out there and win this one.”
Muhammad is preparing for his own challenge, defending his welterweight title against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 in Montreal. He was originally supposed to face Shavkat Rakhmonov, who pulled out due to an injury. Garry felt disrespected by the UFC for not being called up as a replacement.
While Muhammad still hopes to face Rakhmonov eventually, “Remember the Name” admitted there are plenty of contenders rising fast, including the winner of Garry vs. Prates.
“In my eyes, it’s still Shavkat unless he’s still going to be out a lot longer,” Muhammad said. “But (Sean) Brady just had a huge performance against Leon (Edwards), and you still got (Joaquin) Buckley there; he’s calling for (Kamaru) Usman. It’ll have to be a huge show or a huge performance.”