Carlos Prates and Ian Garry have discussed a plan for a future title fight between them. According to the post, Garry called Prates about three weeks ago to outline their scenario: Prates defeats Maddalena, Garry beats Makhachev for the title, and then they fight each other in Brazil. The post suggests that if Garry wins the belt, they expect UFC to make the matchup happen, framing it as a rematch. The commentator notes this is a cool plan but questions its realistic execution. No official confirmation from UFC or concrete timeline is provided for any of these proposed fights.
Carlos Prates and Ian Garry have reportedly discussed a detailed roadmap that could lead to a welterweight title fight between them in Brazil, though no official confirmation from the UFC exists for any part of the plan.
According to a social media post, Garry reached out to Prates roughly three weeks ago to lay out the scenario. The proposed sequence runs as follows: Prates defeats Jack Della Maddalena, Garry dethrones the current champion to claim the welterweight belt, and the two then meet in Brazil in what would be framed as a rematch. The expectation from both sides is that the UFC would sanction that fight once those conditions are met.
Prates, known as "The Nightmare," enters the picture as the fifth-ranked welterweight at 32 years old. The Brazilian carries a 24-7 record and fights out of Vale Top Team. At six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach, he is an active and aggressive striker, averaging 3.77 significant strikes landed per minute at 55 percent accuracy.
Standing in Garry's way in this scenario is Islam Makhachev, who currently holds the welterweight title at 28-1. The 34-year-old Russian southpaw represents one of the division's most complete fighters, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a striking accuracy of 58 percent.
Why it matters
- Prates sits at welterweight's top five, meaning a win over Della Maddalena would likely push him into title contention regardless of Garry's result
- A Garry title win would create immediate demand for high-profile matchups, and a fight in Brazil against a homegrown contender would carry significant commercial appeal
- The style contrast between Prates's high-volume striking and Makhachev's grappling-heavy approach makes each prerequisite fight a legitimate obstacle
