Carlos Prates isn't waiting around for the UFC to announce his next move.
After Islam Makhachev beat Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330, Prates made it clear that he wants the next welterweight title shot. Now he's taking it a step further, claiming the UFC has guaranteed him the opportunity after signing a new eight-fight contract.
The UFC has not officially announced Prates vs. Makhachev yet, but there are some pretty strong signs pointing in that direction. Makhachev himself has said Prates deserves the next shot, while Prates is already talking about a December showdown.
And, of course, Prates isn't predicting a boring decision.
He's promising to knock Makhachev out.
Instead, it created another debate.
Makhachev successfully defended his welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry via unanimous decision, winning 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47. The victory also gave Makhachev his 17th consecutive UFC win, breaking Anderson Silva's previous record of 16.
Garry had moments, particularly with his kicking game and distance management, but Makhachev's wrestling ultimately made the difference.
So who's next?
Prates thinks the answer is obvious.
That's a major claim, but there's an important distinction for fans following the situation.
Prates has not been officially announced as Makhachev's next opponent.
The UFC has made no formal booking yet. So for now, we're dealing with Prates' claim and the champion's own comments rather than an official fight announcement.
Still, this isn't just Prates talking himself into a fight.
After UFC 330, Makhachev questioned why Prates and Michael Morales weren't matched against each other to determine the No. 1 contender. At the same time, he said he is willing to fight whoever the UFC gives him and wants to remain active.
That endorsement matters.
It's one thing for a contender to demand a title shot. It's another when the champion says that contender deserves it.
Makhachev has also indicated that he wants another fight before the end of 2026, making a late-year matchup with Prates realistic if the UFC signs off on it.
He's coming off three straight stoppage victories over Geoff Neal, Leon Edwards and former welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena.
That last win is particularly important.
Prates stopped Della Maddalena at UFC Perth, adding another former champion to his résumé and strengthening his argument that he's ready for the biggest fight available.
His only UFC loss came against Ian Machado Garry, which is obviously the biggest argument against giving him the shot immediately.
But since that loss, Prates has rebuilt his momentum in a big way.
He's active, he's finishing opponents, and he's fighting the kind of competition you'd expect from a serious title contender.
And now the champion is backing him.
Morales was the backup fighter for UFC 330 and had a very strong argument for the next title shot himself. He's undefeated and has built considerable momentum in the welterweight division.
That's why Makhachev's comments about Prates were interesting.
Rather than simply saying Morales should be next because he was the backup, Makhachev questioned why Morales and Prates didn't fight each other to settle the issue.
Prates has suggested Morales could fight another contender first, mentioning the possibility of a matchup with Belal Muhammad before eventually getting his own title opportunity.
That could be the UFC's solution.
Give Prates the title fight while keeping Morales active against another top contender.
This is where things get interesting.
Prates isn't saying he'll outpoint Makhachev.
He's saying he'll knock him out.
That's obviously a massive prediction considering what Makhachev has accomplished.
The champion has now won 17 straight UFC fights and has repeatedly shown that he can neutralize dangerous strikers by taking them down and controlling them. His performance against Garry was another example of that game plan working at the highest level.
But Prates has something that makes every opponent nervous: serious knockout power.
His recent wins over Neal, Edwards and Della Maddalena all came by stoppage. He's also built a reputation as one of the most aggressive finishers in the division.
So while Makhachev would clearly be the favorite on paper, writing off Prates' power would be a mistake.
Prates doesn't need to prove that he can knock someone out.
He needs to prove that he can stop Makhachev from wrestling him.
That's a completely different challenge.
Makhachev's game is built around forcing opponents into situations where their best weapons become difficult to use. If he can close the distance, push Prates toward the fence, and connect his takedowns, the Brazilian's striking advantage becomes much less important.
Prates needs space.
Makhachev needs control.
That's basically the entire fight in one sentence.
If Prates can keep the fight at kicking and punching range, Makhachev will have to deal with one of the most dangerous finishers in the division.
If Makhachev gets consistent takedowns, we're probably looking at another long night for a striker.
That's what makes this matchup fun.
Makhachev is the more complete fighter and has already proven he can deal with elite strikers. But MMA doesn't work like a video game matchup where one fighter automatically cancels another.
Prates only needs one clean shot.
The question is whether he'll get the opportunity.
Makhachev's wrestling, clinch work, and positional control are designed specifically to prevent opponents from having those opportunities. Against Garry, he repeatedly dragged the fight away from the Irishman's preferred range and controlled enough of the action to win comfortably.
Prates will have to make Makhachev pay every time he enters.
That's easier said than done.
For now, I'd say Prates is the leading candidate, but not yet the confirmed challenger.
The case is stronger than it was before UFC 330.
Prates has the recent wins.
Makhachev wants him.
Prates says the UFC has guaranteed him the shot.
And both fighters appear interested in getting the matchup done before the end of the year.
The missing piece is the official UFC announcement.
Until that happens, there's still room for the promotion to change direction.
But if Prates is telling the truth about his new contract, the situation could be much closer to settled than fans realize.
Makhachev vs. Prates gives us a classic striker-versus-grappler fight, except the striker is coming off a serious run of knockouts and the grappler is arguably the most dominant fighter in the UFC right now.
Prates is talking like a man who genuinely believes he can win.
He says he's next.
He says the UFC guaranteed it.
And he says Makhachev is getting knocked out.
Makhachev, meanwhile, seems perfectly happy to fight him.
Now we just need the UFC to make it official.
If this fight gets booked for December, does Prates have a real chance of pulling off the upset, or is Makhachev simply too good at taking dangerous strikers out of their comfort zone?
After Islam Makhachev beat Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330, Prates made it clear that he wants the next welterweight title shot. Now he's taking it a step further, claiming the UFC has guaranteed him the opportunity after signing a new eight-fight contract.
The UFC has not officially announced Prates vs. Makhachev yet, but there are some pretty strong signs pointing in that direction. Makhachev himself has said Prates deserves the next shot, while Prates is already talking about a December showdown.
And, of course, Prates isn't predicting a boring decision.
He's promising to knock Makhachev out.
UFC 330 Changed The Welterweight Picture
UFC 330 was supposed to answer some major questions at 170 pounds.Instead, it created another debate.
Makhachev successfully defended his welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry via unanimous decision, winning 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47. The victory also gave Makhachev his 17th consecutive UFC win, breaking Anderson Silva's previous record of 16.
Garry had moments, particularly with his kicking game and distance management, but Makhachev's wrestling ultimately made the difference.
So who's next?
Prates thinks the answer is obvious.
Carlos Prates Says The UFC Guaranteed Him The Shot
Prates told Ariel Helwani that he recently signed a new eight-fight UFC contract and was assured that his next fight would be for the welterweight championship. He says UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell was involved in those discussions.That's a major claim, but there's an important distinction for fans following the situation.
Prates has not been officially announced as Makhachev's next opponent.
The UFC has made no formal booking yet. So for now, we're dealing with Prates' claim and the champion's own comments rather than an official fight announcement.
Still, this isn't just Prates talking himself into a fight.
Makhachev Wants Prates
Makhachev has publicly named Prates as the contender he believes deserves the next opportunity.After UFC 330, Makhachev questioned why Prates and Michael Morales weren't matched against each other to determine the No. 1 contender. At the same time, he said he is willing to fight whoever the UFC gives him and wants to remain active.
That endorsement matters.
It's one thing for a contender to demand a title shot. It's another when the champion says that contender deserves it.
Makhachev has also indicated that he wants another fight before the end of 2026, making a late-year matchup with Prates realistic if the UFC signs off on it.
Why Prates Has A Legitimate Case
Let's be honest: Prates has earned his way into this conversation.He's coming off three straight stoppage victories over Geoff Neal, Leon Edwards and former welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena.
That last win is particularly important.
Prates stopped Della Maddalena at UFC Perth, adding another former champion to his résumé and strengthening his argument that he's ready for the biggest fight available.
His only UFC loss came against Ian Machado Garry, which is obviously the biggest argument against giving him the shot immediately.
But since that loss, Prates has rebuilt his momentum in a big way.
He's active, he's finishing opponents, and he's fighting the kind of competition you'd expect from a serious title contender.
And now the champion is backing him.
The Michael Morales Problem
The only real complication is Michael Morales.Morales was the backup fighter for UFC 330 and had a very strong argument for the next title shot himself. He's undefeated and has built considerable momentum in the welterweight division.
That's why Makhachev's comments about Prates were interesting.
Rather than simply saying Morales should be next because he was the backup, Makhachev questioned why Morales and Prates didn't fight each other to settle the issue.
Prates has suggested Morales could fight another contender first, mentioning the possibility of a matchup with Belal Muhammad before eventually getting his own title opportunity.
That could be the UFC's solution.
Give Prates the title fight while keeping Morales active against another top contender.
Prates Promises A Knockout
This is where things get interesting.
Prates isn't saying he'll outpoint Makhachev.
He's saying he'll knock him out.
That's obviously a massive prediction considering what Makhachev has accomplished.
The champion has now won 17 straight UFC fights and has repeatedly shown that he can neutralize dangerous strikers by taking them down and controlling them. His performance against Garry was another example of that game plan working at the highest level.
But Prates has something that makes every opponent nervous: serious knockout power.
His recent wins over Neal, Edwards and Della Maddalena all came by stoppage. He's also built a reputation as one of the most aggressive finishers in the division.
So while Makhachev would clearly be the favorite on paper, writing off Prates' power would be a mistake.
The Real Problem For Prates
Here's the thing, though.Prates doesn't need to prove that he can knock someone out.
He needs to prove that he can stop Makhachev from wrestling him.
That's a completely different challenge.
Makhachev's game is built around forcing opponents into situations where their best weapons become difficult to use. If he can close the distance, push Prates toward the fence, and connect his takedowns, the Brazilian's striking advantage becomes much less important.
Prates needs space.
Makhachev needs control.
That's basically the entire fight in one sentence.
If Prates can keep the fight at kicking and punching range, Makhachev will have to deal with one of the most dangerous finishers in the division.
If Makhachev gets consistent takedowns, we're probably looking at another long night for a striker.
Could Prates Actually Knock Him Out?
Absolutely.That's what makes this matchup fun.
Makhachev is the more complete fighter and has already proven he can deal with elite strikers. But MMA doesn't work like a video game matchup where one fighter automatically cancels another.
Prates only needs one clean shot.
The question is whether he'll get the opportunity.
Makhachev's wrestling, clinch work, and positional control are designed specifically to prevent opponents from having those opportunities. Against Garry, he repeatedly dragged the fight away from the Irishman's preferred range and controlled enough of the action to win comfortably.
Prates will have to make Makhachev pay every time he enters.
That's easier said than done.
Is Prates Really Next?
For now, I'd say Prates is the leading candidate, but not yet the confirmed challenger.
The case is stronger than it was before UFC 330.
Prates has the recent wins.
Makhachev wants him.
Prates says the UFC has guaranteed him the shot.
And both fighters appear interested in getting the matchup done before the end of the year.
The missing piece is the official UFC announcement.
Until that happens, there's still room for the promotion to change direction.
But if Prates is telling the truth about his new contract, the situation could be much closer to settled than fans realize.
Final Thoughts
I'm honestly into this matchup.Makhachev vs. Prates gives us a classic striker-versus-grappler fight, except the striker is coming off a serious run of knockouts and the grappler is arguably the most dominant fighter in the UFC right now.
Prates is talking like a man who genuinely believes he can win.
He says he's next.
He says the UFC guaranteed it.
And he says Makhachev is getting knocked out.
Makhachev, meanwhile, seems perfectly happy to fight him.
Now we just need the UFC to make it official.
If this fight gets booked for December, does Prates have a real chance of pulling off the upset, or is Makhachev simply too good at taking dangerous strikers out of their comfort zone?
