Carlos Prates declared his intention to become the next title challenger after his victory over Jack Maddlena, stating he will be next in line after the August bout between Ian Garry and Islam Makhachev. Prates believes he will face the winner of that championship fight. The post questions whether a victory over Maddlena, a former champion, would be sufficient to earn the next title shot. Prates is confident that defeating the former champion should secure his position as the number one contender in the lightweight division.
Carlos Prates has set his sights on a world title shot, declaring himself next in line for a championship opportunity after his victory over Jack Maddlena and calling out the winner of the August welterweight title bout between Ian Garry and Islam Makhachev.
Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," carries a 24-7 record and is currently ranked fifth in the welterweight division. The 32-year-old Brazilian, who trains out of Vale Top Team, stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach and has built his reputation as a high-volume striker. He lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, making him one of the more dangerous offensive fighters in the division. His ground game remains almost entirely stand-up based, averaging just 0.21 takedowns per 15 minutes with no submission attempts on record.
Standing across from him in August is reigning welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, whose record sits at 28-1. The 34-year-old Russian, who represents Eagles MMA, is a southpaw who fights at five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach. Makhachev blends sharp striking — landing 2.63 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate — with relentless grappling, averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes. His opponent in that title defense, Ian Garry, was not included in the verified fighter data.
Prates has publicly stated that defeating Maddlena, whom he described as a former champion, should be enough to cement his status as the number one contender in the division.
Why it matters
- A Prates win over Maddlena would strengthen his case as a top-five welterweight contender heading into the second half of 2026
- The Garry vs. Makhachev bout in August will determine the champion Prates hopes to face
- The stylistic contrast between Prates's high-output striking and Makhachev's grappling-heavy approach would make for a compelling title fight matchup
