Plant-Based Ian Machado Garry Beats Carlos Prates in a UFC Main Event

Ian Machado Garry has beaten Carlos Prates by unanimous decision in the main event of UFC on ESPN 66 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City on Saturday, April 26, 2025. The judges scored the five-round welterweight fight 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46, the UFC's official scorecards show.

The win takes the Irishman to 16-1 and puts him back in the welterweight title conversation. It is his first fight since December, when he lost a five-round title eliminator to Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310, the only defeat of his career. Prates threw everything at him in the fifth round, but Garry held on to the final bell, Sky Sports reports. He was full of respect afterwards:

I know how dangerous that man is, I have nothing but respect for him. That man hits like a truck. He's been on a tear but I told everyone what I was going to do - outclass him - and I believe I did that.

Garry has been open about his diet. When he signed with plant-based supplement brand VEGAIN last year, he explained why he made the change:

Choosing a plant-based diet was strategic for keeping my body in top condition.

He has gone into more detail on The Happy Pear podcast, which introduces him as a plant-based athlete and covers his journey from his early days on the mat. On tonight's evidence, plants are doing the job.

Plant-based fighters have a habit of upsetting the script in the UFC. Back in 2016 vegan Nate Diaz beat Conor McGregor in a shock victory, and he signed off by submitting Tony Ferguson in his final UFC fight. Alex Caceres has also won five straight in the UFC on plants.

No meat, no problem.