Carlos Prates is warning Islam Makhachev that he fully intends to deliver a scintillating performance if he gets the next UFC welterweight title shot.
Makhachev made history this past Saturday in his first defense of the 170-pound gold. The pound-for-pound great broke Anderson Silva’s record for the most consecutive wins in UFC history at 17. Makhachev thwarted the challenge of Ian Machado Garry in the UFC 330 main event, earning a unanimous decision.
Prates was inside Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia to witness Makhachev’s victory, and he thinks he will be the No. 1 contender. If that is the case, “The Nightmare” is predicting a knockout win. Pedro Baptista posted a clip of Prates firing a warning shot at the welterweight king.
“I will knock you out, bro,” Prates said. “I will bring that belt to Brazil. The first welterweight champ from Brazil.”
Prates is riding a three-fight winning streak with finishes over some key names. In his most recent outing, the Brazilian bruiser stopped former UFC welterweight titleholder Jack Della Maddalena. Prior to that, he had knockouts over ex-UFC champion Leon Edwards and Geoff Neal.
In his last 15 fights, Prates has gone 14-1. The lone defeat was against Ian Machado Garry in a bout that nearly saw “The Nightmare” pull off a come-from-behind win.
Makhachev is vowing to return to the Octagon before Ramadan. If it takes until January 2027 for the 170-pound champion to fight again, then Prates may need to fight one more time before getting a crack at UFC gold. Of course, he could also wait if the UFC brass feel he is the unquestioned No. 1 contender.
Another name that has been looming in the title conversation is Michael Morales. The surging Ecuadorian was also in attendance for UFC 330, and he has been calling for a championship fight. Some have suggested that Morales and Prates should fight with a shot at UFC gold at stake. Whether or not the stars align for such a matchup remains to be seen.
Do you believe Carlos Prates could pull off a shocker against Islam Makhachev? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
