In a shift of plans, welterweights Ian Machado Garry and Carlos Prates are set to clash in the main event at UFC Kansas City on April 26.
The UFC officially announced this new matchup on Tuesday. The announcement did not clarify the circumstances surrounding the removal of the originally scheduled main event featuring Jamahal Hill against Khalil Rountree.
Despite the unexpected cancellation of the Hill vs. Rountree bout, the UFC acted quickly to organize a compelling replacement headliner.
Garry steps into this main event slot after a hard-fought contest against Shavkat Rakhmonov last December. That fight was considered a welterweight title eliminator. Although Garry was defeated by decision, he pushed Rakhmonov to his limit. Now, he aims to rebound against Prates, a rapidly emerging talent in the welterweight division.
Prates enters this fight with an unblemished professional record of 4 wins and no losses in the UFC. Impressively, all of his victories have come via knockout within the first two rounds. He was initially slated to compete against Geoff Neal at UFC 314, but Neal`s injury forced him to withdraw from the card.
Instead of finding a new opponent for Prates on the same date, the UFC decided to elevate him to the main event in Kansas City, where he will now face Garry.
The Garry vs. Prates fight will be the main attraction on April 26. The event also includes a noteworthy retirement fight for Anthony Smith against Zhang Mingyang, as well as a featherweight bout between Giga Chikadze and David Onama.
Wesley Dunham 
Marcus Blakely