UFC Kansas City Aftermath
UFC Kansas City proved to be an event filled with significant moments. Noteworthy outcomes included Ian Machado Garry securing a victory, Anthony Smith announcing his retirement, and several fighters seizing the opportunity to shine away from the familiar environment of the UFC APEX facility.
Garry bounced back into the win column after his competitive bout against the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov. However, his performance didn`t entirely impress everyone. After strong control through the first three rounds against a struggling Carlos Prates, “The Future” encountered serious danger late in Round 4. Prates` well-known knockout power surfaced, genuinely rocking Garry and leading to a dramatic fifth round where Prates seemed on the verge of finishing the fight.
With only 30 seconds remaining, Garry managed to survive—perhaps aided by Prates not pushing for the finish—to secure the win and keep his title aspirations alive. UFC CEO Dana White has since announced Garry as the official backup fighter for the upcoming UFC 315 welterweight championship clash between champion Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena. Despite this, fan reactions suggest many remain unconvinced about Garry`s immediate readiness for a title shot.
Dricus du Plessis Addresses Rumors
Although not reported by us, widespread speculation suggested middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis would not only be unavailable to defend his title against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 317 but might even be sidelined until 2026. “Stillknocks” took to social media to directly refute these claims, labeling them as “fake news.” His public statement was generally well-received by fans.
Chael Sonnen`s Shifting Claims
In a short 24-hour period, commentator Chael Sonnen first stated with certainty that Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall had a confirmed date for their heavyweight title unification bout. Shortly thereafter, he seemingly corrected himself, claiming Aspinall was scheduled to fight a different opponent. As is frequently the case, Sonnen`s remarks should always be taken with a significant degree of skepticism.
Lightweight Title Contention Debate
Unsurprisingly, Belal Muhammad publicly supported his teammate Islam Makhachev`s stance against recognizing Ilia Topuria as the definitive number one contender in the lightweight division. Fan opinion also appears divided regarding whether “El Matador” warrants an immediate opportunity to challenge for the lightweight championship.
Reader Poll Mention
In a recent informal poll where readers voted on a hypothetical promotional draft winner, the results drew a notable reaction from the staff.
