Carlos Prates and Ian Garry have formulated a plan where they would eventually meet in a title fight. According to Prates, Garry called him about three weeks ago to discuss the scenario. The plan involves Prates defeating Maddalena and Garry beating Makhachev, after which they would fight for the title in Brazil. Prates believes the UFC would make the fight happen, and if Garry wins the belt, it would set up a rematch between them. The post notes this is an ambitious plan but questions its realistic implementation given the challenges involved in both fighters winning their respective matchups first.
Carlos Prates and Ian Garry have reportedly mapped out an ambitious path to a title-fight collision, with Prates revealing that Garry reached out to him roughly three weeks ago to lay out the scenario.
The plan, as described by Prates, hinges on both men winning their next assignments. Prates would need to get past Jack Maddalena, while Garry would have to defeat welterweight champion Islam Makhachev. If both come through, the two would then meet for the title in Brazil — and should Garry capture the belt in the process, a rematch between the pair would naturally follow.
Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," is currently ranked fifth in the welterweight division. The 32-year-old Brazilian out of Vale Top Team carries a 24-7 record and is one of the more active strikers in the 170-pound class, landing 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. Standing six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach, he brings considerable physical tools to the matchup.
Standing between Garry and any title scenario is Makhachev, the reigning welterweight champion out of Russia. The 34-year-old Eagles MMA product holds a 28-1 record and has built his dominance on a combination of elite grappling and sharp striking, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes while landing significant strikes at a 58 percent clip.
Why it matters
- A Prates victory over Maddalena would strengthen his case as a legitimate title contender from the welterweight top five.
- Garry defeating Makhachev would represent one of the division's biggest upsets in recent memory and reshape the entire landscape.
- If both scenarios play out, a Brazil card headlined by a title fight between two fighters with an existing connection would carry significant commercial appeal for the UFC.
