Carlos Prates and Ian Garry have discussed a plan where they would eventually meet for a championship bout. According to Prates, the plan involves him defeating Maddalena while Garry beats Islam Makhachev, after which they would fight in Brazil. Prates indicated he believes the UFC would make the fight happen, and if Garry wins the belt, it would set up a rematch scenario. The proposal represents forward-thinking matchmaking between two welterweight contenders, though it assumes victories in their respective upcoming bouts. The post acknowledges the plan is ambitious and questions its realistic execution given the many variables involved.
Carlos Prates and Ian Garry have outlined an ambitious joint roadmap that they say could end with a welterweight title fight on Brazilian soil, according to Prates.
The plan, as Prates described it, hinges on a specific sequence of results: Prates defeating his own upcoming opponent Joaquin Maddalena, Garry unseating reigning welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, and the UFC then agreeing to stage the resulting title bout in Brazil. Prates said he believes the promotion would be willing to make it happen, and that a Garry championship reign would set up what he framed as a rematch scenario between the two contenders.
Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," is a 32-year-old Brazilian fighting out of Vale Top Team. Ranked fifth in the welterweight division with a 24-7 record, the six-foot-one switch-hitter carries a 78-inch reach and is one of the more active volume strikers in the division, landing 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy.
Standing in the way of the scenario is Makhachev, the current welterweight champion and number-one pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. The 34-year-old Russian holds a 28-1 record and has built his dominance around a suffocating combination of elite grappling and efficient striking, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing strikes at an eye-catching 58 percent accuracy rate.
Why it matters
- A win over Maddalena would push Prates deeper into title contention at 170 pounds
- Garry defeating Makhachev would be one of the biggest upsets in recent welterweight history, reshaping the division entirely
- The proposal, if it ever materializes, would deliver a high-profile card to Brazil with a title on the line
- Both fighters would need to navigate significant obstacles before any such matchup becomes realistic
