Carlos Prates Wants Makhachev, Promises to Bring the Belt to Brazil

Carlos Prates isn't interested in waiting his turn. Fresh off Islam Makhachev's latest win, the No. 2-ranked welterweight fired off a direct challenge, vowing to knock the champion out and haul the 170-pound title back to Brazil as the country's first welterweight king. It's a bold line from a man sitting at 24-7 with 19 knockouts on his ledger.

The math behind the callout is where it gets interesting. Makhachev is 29-1 across his career, with a single loss and a grappling-heavy portfolio: 13 of those wins come by submission, only five by knockout. Prates, meanwhile, has built his reputation almost entirely on his hands, stopping 19 of his 24 opponents. He's promising to solve a puzzle that only one fighter in three dozen has ever managed to.

The Case for Prates

Prates earned this platform. His most recent outing was a third-round TKO of Jack Della Maddalena, finished on elbows — the kind of highlight that vaults a fighter into title conversations. Della Maddalena is no journeyman, which makes the stoppage the strongest line on Prates' recent form. Sitting at No. 2, he's arguably the most dangerous striker in the division right now.

The problem is style. Makhachev didn't climb the welterweight ranks by trading leather. His decision win over Ian Machado Garry was a clinic in control, and his submission-heavy record suggests he'll happily drag Prates into deep water rather than stand and swing. Prates' knockout power only matters if the fight stays on the feet — and champions rarely oblige.

What Happens Next

For now this is a message, not a matchmaking announcement. Makhachev hasn't publicly responded, and the champion's next assignment isn't confirmed. But callouts like this shape the division's pecking order, and Prates has done enough winning to make his voice carry weight.

If the UFC books it, you get a genuine grappler-versus-striker clash with a clear narrative: Makhachev's one blemish in 30 fights against a puncher who's ended 19 opponents early. Prates said he'll knock the champion out and take the belt to Brazil. He'll need to keep the fight standing to prove it.