Machado Garry has secured a championship opportunity after outlasting high-profile contenders Carlos Prates and Michael Morales.
Prates, representing Brazil, enters the fray following three consecutive knockout victories, despite a loss to Garry in April of last year. Meanwhile, Ecuador’s Michael Morales maintains a perfect professional record of 19-0.
Earlier in 2024, Garry competed in a number one contender bout against Shavkat Rakhmonov; however, the Kazakh standout has been sidelined by injury since that matchup.
Following Rakhmonov’s removal from the UFC welterweight rankings in February, Garry was subsequently elevated in the standings.
The last Irish fighter to contest a major MMA title was Karl Moore, who suffered a defeat against Corey Anderson for the Bellator light-heavyweight championship in 2024.
The Philadelphia event will also feature a co-main event where American-Brazilian Mackenzie Dern makes her first strawweight title defense against Canada’s Gillian Robertson.
The 33-year-old Dern captured the championship in October by defeating Virna Jandiroba, marking her third consecutive win. She faces the 31-year-old Robertson, who arrives in the bout riding a five-fight winning streak.
![ENG vs NZ [WATCH]: Jacob Bethell takes a sensational flying catch to dismiss Tom Latham on Day 1 of the second Test](https://i2.wp.com/crickettimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Jacob-Bethell-takes-a-sensational-flying-catch-to-dismiss-Tom-Latham-on-Day-1-of-the-second-Test-1168x657.webp?w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1 "ENG vs NZ [WATCH]: Jacob Bethell takes a sensational flying catch to dismiss Tom Latham on Day 1 of the second Test")
