Carlos Prates and Ian Garry have discussed a plan where they would eventually meet in a title fight in Brazil. According to Prates, the plan involves him defeating Maddalena while Garry beats Makhachev, after which they would fight for the championship in Brazil. Prates stated that Garry called him about three weeks ago to discuss this scenario. He believes the UFC would make the fight happen and sees it as a potential rematch if Garry captures the belt. The post characterizes this as an ambitious plan with questions about realistic execution. Neither fighter currently holds a UFC title.
Carlos Prates and Ian Garry have reportedly discussed a long-range plan that would culminate in a welterweight title fight on Brazilian soil, with Prates revealing the two spoke by phone roughly three weeks ago to map out the scenario.
Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," is ranked fifth in the welterweight division and carries a 24-7 record. The 32-year-old Brazilian, who trains out of Vale Top Team, stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach and has been one of the more active strikers in the division, landing 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. His side of the plan requires him to first get past Joaquin Maddalena before any title conversation becomes relevant.
The other half of the equation runs through Islam Makhachev, the reigning welterweight champion. The Russian, now 34 and fighting out of Eagles MMA, owns a 28-1 record and has held the belt with the kind of well-rounded dominance that has placed him at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings. Makhachev averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and lands 2.63 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent clip — numbers that illustrate why dethroning him would be the central obstacle in any such plan. Garry would need to defeat Makhachev before a title fight with Prates could materialize.
Prates indicated he believes the UFC would be willing to stage that championship matchup in Brazil, framing it as a potential rematch given prior history between the two.
Why it matters
- A Prates win over Maddalena would push a top-five welterweight into title contention territory
- Garry defeating Makhachev would be one of the biggest upsets in recent divisional history
- Brazil hosting a welterweight title fight would carry significant commercial weight for the UFC
- The plan depends on two separate outcomes neither fighter controls yet
