It is all but confirmed that Carlos Prates is next in line to challenge Islam Makhachev for the UFC welterweight title. Makhachev defended his belt at UFC 330 against Ian Garry, winning a back-and-forth fight by unanimous decision and extending his UFC winning streak to 17 fights.
However, the fight was far from a walk in the park for the Dagestani. Garry gave Makhachev one of his toughest tests to date, landing some big shots and even opening up the champion. The performance reminded many fans of Makhachev’s brutal UFC 284 showdown with Alexander Volkanovski.
Much of the discussion surrounding Makhachev’s move to welterweight has centered on the size difference. After spending years at lightweight, the champion is now facing considerably bigger opponents. Many fans believe that could become a major factor against Prates. Colby Covington, however, sees things very differently.
Colby Covington Predicts Islam Makhachev to Submit Carlos Prates in Potential Title Fight
During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Covington shared his thoughts on a potential Makhachev vs. Prates matchup. Rather than expecting a competitive fight, “Chaos” believes Prates could provide the easiest challenge of Makhachev’s career.
He said, “Carlos has nothing for him. He’s just a straight striker. That’s gonna be the easiest fight of Makhachev’s career. I think [Makhachev] takes him down and submits him with a kimura or a head-and-arm choke.”
Covington did give Prates credit for proving that he can compete over five rounds. However, he believes the Brazilian’s smoking habit could become a serious issue when facing someone like Makhachev.
He said, “We know Carlos can go five rounds. He does get a little tired. I mean, it kind of attributes to having a huge, a terrible habit, you know, smoking cigarettes. He needs to quit that if he ever wants to be a legitimate champion.”
Helwani also asked Covington about Michael Morales and how he would fare against Makhachev. The Clovis native was less confident in making a prediction, pointing to Morales’ limited experience in five-round fights and the need to see how his takedown defense holds up against an elite wrestler.
He said, “We got to see how his [Morales’] takedown defense is. We haven’t seen him in any big fights, high-level five-round fights, so we don’t know what to expect from him… I think he is still unproven, and there’s a lot to be seen from that guy.”
Colby Covington says Carlos Prates has ‘no chance’ against Islam Makhachev and calls it the easiest fight of Makhachev’s career:
“Carlos has nothing for him. He’s just a straight striker. That’s gonna be the easiest fight of Makhachev’s career.
I think he takes him down and submits him with like a Kimura or a head-and-arm choke.”
Colby is less certain about Michael Morales:
“We gotta see how his takedown defense is. We haven’t seen him in any big fights, high-level five-round fights, so we don’t know what to expect from him.”
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) October 7, 2026
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With the UFC’s 2026 calendar already packed and the remaining numbered events having their main events set, Makhachev’s next title defense is likely to happen early in 2027.
Ramadan is expected to begin around February 8, 2027, although the exact date will depend on the sighting of the moon. That could give the UFC a relatively small window to book Makhachev’s next title defense, potentially between January and early February.
Getting Makhachev back into the Octagon before Ramadan would also give him a chance to fight twice in 2027. The welterweight champion has generally competed around twice a year in recent seasons, so an early title defense could set him up for another fight in late summer or fall.
🚨 Islam Makhachev says he’s recovering from some minor injuries, but wants to fight before February 2027 👀
“After the fight, I had three MRIs and had my entire spine checked. There are a few small issues, so I’m working on them. It’s nothing serious. I’m just strengthening my spine.
We’ll wait for the UFC to call. I think the ideal scenario would be to fight before Ramadan. Ramadan starts for us in February. A date before Ramadan would be ideal.”
(via @MatchTV)
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 9, 2026
Prates, meanwhile, could also benefit from getting back into action soon. The Brazilian has not competed since his May knockout victory over Jack Della Maddalena, leaving him waiting for his next opportunity.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
