Ian Garry's confidence ahead of UFC Kansas City has only risen after watching one of opponent Carlos Prates' past losses.
The promotion’s trip to Missouri to stage a UFC Fight Night inside T-Mobile Center on April 26 was originally set to feature a main event between hard-hitting light heavyweights Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree.
But following speculation of an injury to the former champion, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed at the start of this month that a new matchup will top the lineup.
The stakes will be similarly high, though, with both Ian Garry and Carlos Prates looking to ascend into the championship conversation at each other’s expense.
And when it comes to his chances of doing so, the Irishman seemingly got a boost in self-belief after seeing the manner with which Prates once suffered defeat on the regional scene.
Here, look at this. This is a video of Carlos Prates and his true fighting spirit," Ian Garry said. "It's called being a quitter. He had just been beaten up all the rounds prior, puts his hand up, shakes his head, says, 'I'm done,' and then just drops to the ground. ... Deep down he knows, he's not a fighter.
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While the April 26 headliner marks Garry's first outing since a narrow defeat to Shavkat Rakhmonov last December, Prates will enter it with his undefeated UFC record still intact, having most recently moved to 4-0 in the Octagon with a knockout of Neil Magny.