Since Islam Makhachev captured the welterweight title at UFC 322, the 170-pound division has quickly become one of the most competitive landscapes in the promotion. Adding to the chaos, #5-ranked Carlos Prates is set to face former champion Jack Della Maddalena in the main event of UFC Perth, a matchup widely viewed as a potential title eliminator.
At the same time, Makhachev’s first title defense is reportedly being lined up against Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 on August 15 in Philadelphia, further intensifying the race at the top. If Prates can deliver a statement win on May 2 in Australia, he believes he should be next in line for a shot at gold. However, the situation becomes more complicated with Ilia Topuria also staking his claim for a third UFC title amid his ongoing rivalry with Makhachev.
The two were even linked to a potential clash at the Freedom 250 card on June 14, though negotiations ultimately fell through. When asked about the possibility of Topuria jumping the queue at welterweight, Prates responded with humor. Speaking to MMA Fighting, he said, “Ok, so then I go to the lightweights, I’m going to fight to the lightweight belt. I can do 155. Of course, I can. Normally I have 85 kg, 84, so I can do lightweight. But I’m kidding.”
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He added, “I don’t want to do too much diet anymore. But, yeah, let’s see. I’m not thinking about that, but let’s see. If it’s happening, I’m going to wait.” While Prates is open to waiting if circumstances shift, he firmly believes a title shot should be his in an ideal scenario. That confidence stems from his recent form, including a knockout victory over former champion Leon Edwards at UFC 322 this past November.
With the opportunity to potentially defeat back-to-back former titleholders, ‘The Nightmare’ sees a clear path to the belt. He said, “The title shot [is next]. Because I’m going to beat two former champs in a row, you know? So yeah, nobody [else] did it. You have Morales, but he didn’t [beat] any former champ. You have Ian [Machado Garry], he’s going to fight now against Makhachev. So the next gonna be Carlos Prates.”
With those remarks, Prates all but suggested that Garry will be next in line to challenge Makhachev. Maintaining a straight face as he doubled down on the claim, Prates couldn’t help but smirk when pressed on whether he had inside knowledge, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the situation.
The confidence may also stem from personal history. Prates’ lone loss inside the Octagon came against Garry at UFC Kansas last year, and he has previously expressed interest in both men winning their upcoming fights to set up a high-stakes rematch for the title. However, when the conversation shifted to other contenders, Prates was far less open.
The Brazilian quickly dismissed the idea of former champion Kamaru Usman re-entering the title picture anytime soon, and even ruled out the possibility of facing him in a title eliminator. He said, “No, [Kamaru Usman doesn’t make sense], it’s going to be a title shot. No chance. After that fight, I’m just going to fight for the belt.”
With multiple contenders staking their claims and no official announcement yet, the welterweight title picture remains fluid. Clarity may be just around the corner, but for now, the race to challenge Makhachev continues to intensify.
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.