Carlos Prates and Ian Garry have discussed a plan to eventually face each other in a title fight. According to Prates, Garry called him about three weeks ago to propose the scenario. Their plan involves Prates defeating Vicente Luque (referred to as Maddalena in the original post), Garry beating Islam Makhachev, and then the two fighting for the title in Brazil. Prates believes the UFC would make the fight if Garry wins the belt, setting up a rematch between them. The proposal represents an ambitious roadmap that depends on both fighters winning their upcoming bouts.
Carlos Prates and Ian Garry have reportedly mapped out an ambitious plan to eventually meet in a welterweight title fight on Brazilian soil, with Prates revealing that Garry reached out to him roughly three weeks ago to propose the scenario.
According to Prates, the roadmap works in sequential steps: Prates would need to defeat Vicente Luque, Garry would then have to dethrone reigning welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, and the two would subsequently collide for the belt in Brazil. Prates indicated he believes the UFC would sanction that fight if Garry captures the title, framing the conversation as a genuine proposal rather than idle talk.
Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," enters that picture as the fifth-ranked welterweight. The 32-year-old Brazilian trains out of Vale Top Team and stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach. He is one of the division's most active strikers, landing 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, and fights out of a switch stance that has given opponents persistent problems.
Standing in the way of that entire plan is Makhachev, the 34-year-old Russian champion who holds a 28-1 record and is currently ranked atop the pound-for-pound list. Fighting out of a southpaw stance for Eagles MMA, Makhachev combines elite grappling — averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes — with sharp striking at 58 percent accuracy, making him one of the most complete champions in the sport.
Why it matters
- A win by Prates over Luque would almost certainly push him deeper into title contention at 170 pounds
- Garry defeating Makhachev would represent one of the biggest upsets in recent welterweight history
- If both results materialise, a Prates-Garry title bout in Brazil carries significant regional and commercial appeal for the UFC
- The plan depends entirely on outcomes that are far from guaranteed, keeping it firmly in the realm of aspiration for now
