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The UFC's latest Fight Night event is in the books, and the promotion's trip to Kansas City was a good one. The fans were treated to plenty of strong finishes and performances over the night.
So, what is next for the stars of UFC Fight Night: Ian Machado Garry vs. Carlos Prates? As always, the matchmakers have plenty of options. With contenders produced in numerous divisions, it should be interesting to see what fights the promotion comes up with next.
Here are five fights to make following UFC Fight Night: Garry vs. Prates.
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#5. UFC welterweight bout: Carlos Prates vs. Geoff Neal
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Carlos Prates, despite his best efforts, came up short in his second UFC headliner last night, losing a unanimous decision to Ian Machado Garry.
'The Nightmare' fought hard and threatened a big comeback in Round 5, but for the majority of the bout, he was on the back foot, picked apart by the smarter combinations from 'The Future'.
The loss won't entirely derail Prates' quest to become a title contender at 170 pounds, but it is clear that he needs some work on his overall game. Namely, he will need to find a way to get inside and land bigger shots on an opponent capable of keeping him at a distance, as Garry did.
The best thing for him next, though, might be to re-book him against Geoff Neal. The two men were set to duke it out at UFC 314 earlier this month, but 'Handz of Steel' was forced out with an injury. Re-booking this fight would be a good chance for 'The Nightmare' to rebound against a dangerous opponent.
#4. UFC middleweight bout: Ikram Aliskerov vs. Jack Hermansson
Ikram Aliskerov was one of the most impressive performers at last night's UFC event, as he turned out the lights on Andre Muniz in Round 1. The Dagestani thoroughly shut down Muniz, eventually stopping him with a left hand and some follow-up strikes late in the round.
Aliskerov could be pushed back up the ladder against an elite-level foe next, but instead, it might be safer for the matchmakers to put him against someone outside the top fifteen right now - Jack Hermansson.
Hermansson was once in the top ten, but hasn't fought since his win over Joe Pyfer last February, and also hasn't beaten a top opponent in some time.
Hermansson would be a dangerous foe for Aliskerov, though, particularly due to his size, something that is not on the Dagestani's side at 185 pounds. If Aliskerov could dispatch him, then it'd show that he's ready for a ranked foe again. If not, then a move to 170 pounds might be better for him. Either way, this would be a good fight for him.
#3. UFC welterweight bout: Randy Brown vs. Neil Magny
The best fight on offer last night came in the welterweight division, as Randy Brown and Nicolas Dalby duked it out for two rounds before 'Rude Boy' turned the lights out on the Danish veteran.
The win put Brown back in the winner's column following his narrow loss to Bryan Battle last year. It also makes his overall UFC record worth taking a closer look at. 'Rude Boy' is an impressive 14-6 in the octagon, and if you only go back as far as 2021, he's won eight of his ten fights. Therefore, the Jamaican fighter is probably worth pushing up the ladder, and so the best foe for him could be Neil Magny.
The longtime gatekeeper has recently slipped out of the top fifteen, but remains a very tough foe for anyone at 170 pounds. If anything, he probably needs an opponent who isn't considered a blue-chip prospect after losing three of his last four bouts to foes now ranked in the top fifteen.
A fight between Brown and Magny would be a big opportunity for both men - making it one well worth booking in the near future.
#2. UFC light-heavyweight bout: Mingyang Zhang vs. Nikita Krylov
While most of the spotlight last night fell on Anthony Smith, who retired and received a nice tribute from the UFC, it's fair to say that the man who beat him has a bright future.
Mingyang Zhang is now 3-0 in the UFC, finishing all three of his foes via first-round TKO, and he hasn't lost since 2019. With heavy hands and lethal elbows, he's a top prospect. With a step up needed, a good foe for him could be No.-10-ranked Nikita Krylov.
Krylov was recently defeated by Dominick Reyes, but before that, he won three fights in a row - although that run came back in 2022 and 2023.
Krylov has dangerous skills in all areas and is widely considered one of the toughest men in the 205 pound division. However, he's older now, and whether he could stand up to the power of Zhang would be a fair question. Assuming Krylov can return before the year is out following his knockout loss, this would be a good fight to make.
#1. UFC welterweight bout: Ian Machado Garry vs. Sean Brady
Ian Machado Garry won big in last night's headline bout. He defeated Carlos Prates via unanimous decision, and while it wasn't the flawless victory he'd have liked, it affirmed him as a top-level welterweight.
So what's next for 'The Future'? He believes he's ready for a title shot, and Dana White has agreed to make him the alternate for UFC 315's clash between champion Belal Muhammad and top contender Jack Della Maddalena.
However, the chances of either Muhammad or Della Maddalena going down on late notice seem slim. Waiting for the winner isn't a likely option given Garry's loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov, who is probably still ahead of him in the queue.
Therefore, the best option for the Irishman would be a top contender's fight with Sean Brady, who defeated former champ Leon Edwards in March.
The winner of that one would undoubtedly be at the front of the queue and would probably allow for Rakhmonov to take his shot at the champ first, too. It's the only piece of matchmaking making sense in the welterweight division right now.
