Carlos Prates and Ian Garry have discussed a plan to eventually face each other in a title fight. According to Prates, Garry called him approximately three weeks ago to propose the scenario. The plan involves Prates defeating Madalena in his next fight, Garry beating Makhachev to win the title, and then the two meeting in Brazil for a championship bout. Prates believes the UFC would make the fight happen and mentioned it could be a rematch if Garry becomes champion. While the plan is ambitious, it depends on both fighters winning their respective upcoming matchups, making it highly speculative at this stage.
Carlos Prates has revealed that he and Ian Garry have already mapped out an ambitious path toward a future welterweight title fight in Brazil, with Prates disclosing that Garry reached out to him roughly three weeks ago to propose the scenario.
The plan, as Prates described it, hinges on a specific chain of events: Prates defeating Madalena in his next outing, Garry toppling reigning champion Islam Makhachev to capture the title, and then the two meeting in Brazil for a championship rematch. Prates indicated he believes the UFC would be willing to make that fight a reality.
Prates, 32, enters his next assignment ranked fifth in the welterweight division with a 24-7 record. The Brazilian southpaw-switch striker out of Vale Top Team stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach and has been one of the busiest and most accurate strikers in the division, landing 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy.
Standing in the way of that vision is Makhachev, the welterweight champion from Russia who carries a 28-1 record at 34 years of age. Fighting out of Eagles MMA, the southpaw champion is a well-rounded threat, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing strikes at a 58 percent accuracy clip — the highest striking efficiency in the matchup by a clear margin.
Why it matters
- A win by Prates over Madalena would keep him firmly in title contention at welterweight.
- Garry defeating Makhachev would represent one of the division's biggest upsets and instantly create marquee title-fight options.
- If both pieces fall into place, a Brazil-based championship card featuring a domestic hero would carry significant commercial weight for the UFC.
Prates acknowledged the scenario is contingent on results neither fighter can guarantee, keeping the plan firmly in the realm of speculation for now.
