Carlos Prates is not waiting quietly for his shot at UFC welterweight gold. The Brazilian contender is already training for a potential showdown with Islam Makhachev — and he has a message for the champion. "Yes, Makhachev… Whatever I'm going through here at this gym, somebody is going to pay for it," Prates said in a clip posted to his Instagram stories. "And guess who's going to pay? You!" In a separate post, Prates went further, predicting Makhachev's record will read 29-2 after they fight: "Davai [come on] brother! 29-2!"
“"Yes, Makhachev… Whatever I'm going through here at this gym, somebody is going to pay for it. And guess who's going to pay? You!"”
Coming off the win that changed everything
Prates is coming off the best performance of his UFC career — a third-round TKO of former welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena in the main event of UFC Perth on May 2, 2026. It was a striking masterclass. Prates chopped at Della Maddalena's lead leg until the Australian could barely stand, dropped him with a calf kick in the third round, and finished him at 3:17 of the third with knees, elbows and ground strikes. It was the performance that put "The Nightmare" — now 24-7 — firmly in the title picture. After the win, Prates called for the winner of Makhachev vs. Ian Machado Garry. He got his answer: Makhachev defended his 170-pound strap against Garry at UFC 330 in August and has since singled out Prates as his next opponent. The UFC has not officially announced the matchup, but all signs point to Prates contesting UFC gold next. Makhachev recently said he wants to return before Ramadan, targeting late 2026 or early 2027 for his second welterweight title defense.
The problem waiting for Prates
But standing across from him would be a completely different problem. Makhachev has already shown that elite striking is not enough to keep him away. His ability to control distance, force grappling exchanges and dictate where the fight takes place has made him one of the most difficult champions in the sport to beat. The skeptics' case is Islam's wrestling — and whether Prates can stop it. Prates himself seems to understand the shape of the fight — earlier this month he gave an unusually candid prediction, saying he expects Makhachev to "smash" him before he lands the knockout. And yet, Prates brings something that can change everything in a fraction of a second: serious knockout power. One clean shot could turn a dominant performance into a highlight-reel finish. That is what makes this potential matchup so intriguing. Can Makhachev drag Prates into the kind of fight he prefers — or can "The Nightmare" force Islam to respect every second on the feet? Prates has already made his intentions clear. Now he has to prove that his confidence is justified.
