Saturday night, the UFC makes its third trip to Kansas City, Missouri, for an event headlined by a fascinating short notice pairing in the welterweight division. Originally slated to feature a main event clash between ex-light heavyweight titleholder Jamahal Hill and recent title challenger Khalil Roundtree Jr., a lingering leg injury to the former prompted its postponement, opening the door for Ian Machado Garry and Carlos Prates to step up and stand across from one another this weekend. The welterweight standouts will close out a quality fight card that includes a couple debuts, the return of some ascending names, and the final bout in the career of one Anthony “Lionheart” Smith, who is poised to hang up his gloves, win or lose, following his bout with Zhang Mingyang.

It should be an entertaining night of action in KCMO, and we’re here to lay out what’s on tap this weekend at T-Mobile Center. A few weeks after Sean Brady established himself as the clubhouse leader in the chase for the next welterweight title shot and a few weeks before Belal Muhammad defends his title against Jack Della Maddalena, Ian Machado Garry and Carlos Prates will face off in what promises to be a captivating battle between two of the division’s rising stars. Saturday’s contest marks the second consecutive bout the Irishman has taken on short notice, after stepping in to face fellow unbeaten contender Shavkat Rakhmonov last December when Muhammad was unable to compete at UFC 310. Machado Garry dropped that contest by unanimous decision, but didn’t lose any ground in the rankings, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is every bit the title threat many have long anticipated he would be.

Prates was the top rookie in the UFC last year, rattling off stoppage wins over Trevin Giles, Charles Radtke, Li Jingliang, and Neil Magny to force his way into the rankings and run his overall winning streak to 11. The Fighting Nerds representative is a precision striker, utilizing a variety of attacks and varied targets to keep opponents wondering what’s coming next and where it’s going to land. This is an outstanding pairing that carries a great deal of significance in the 170-pound ranks, as Machado Garry is currently stationed at No. 7 in the rankings, with Prates six places behind him. There is a great deal of jockeying for position going on in the division at the moment, with more set to happen in the coming months, so a big effort for either man will serve them well as they aim to set themselves up for an even greater opportunity in the back half of the year.

The co-main event features athletes at opposite ends of their fighting careers, as Anthony Smith makes his final walk to face UFC sophomore Zhang Mingyang. Smith will step into the Octagon for the 25th and final time on Saturday, hanging up his gloves following an extended career competing on the biggest stage in the sport that saw him challenge for the light heavyweight title in 2019. The 36-year-old, who has made 59 professional appearances, enters on a two-fight skid, and will look to wrap things up with one final victory. Zhang earned a call to the UFC with a first-round stoppage win in the first bout in Road to UFC history, putting away Tuco Tokkos in just under four minutes. He made a pair of starts last year, finishing both Brendson Ribeiro and Ozzy Diaz, and arrives for his 2025 debut having won 11 straight, all in the first round. It’s going to be fascinating to see how Smith performs here, given that he’s already made the decision to transition into the next phase of his career following this one. He has a considerable edge in terms of skill and experience, obviously, but “The Mountain Tiger” is a proven finisher with real power, and will be aiming to earn the biggest win of his career on Saturday night.