Carlos Prates declared he will be next in line for a lightweight title shot after his upcoming victory over Jack Madalena. He stated he will fight the winner of the August bout between Ian Garry and Islam Makhachev. Prates believes a win over Madalena, a former champion, is sufficient to earn him a title shot. The post includes a poll asking whether defeating Jack is enough to become the next contender. Details on the specific context of Madalena being a "former champion" are limited in the original post.
Carlos Prates has made his ambitions clear, declaring himself the next contender for a welterweight title shot following his anticipated fight against Jack Madalena.
The Brazilian known as "The Nightmare" is ranked fifth in the welterweight division and carries a record of 24-7. The 32-year-old out of Vale Top Team stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach and has built a reputation as a high-output striker, landing 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. Prates argues that a victory over Madalena — whom he referred to as a former champion — would be sufficient to vault him into title contention.
The target Prates has in mind is the winner of the August bout between Ian Garry and reigning welterweight champion Islam Makhachev. The 34-year-old Russian, training out of Eagles MMA, holds a 28-1 record and has unified control over the division, mixing elite grappling — 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes — with sharp striking at 58 percent accuracy. Makhachev's southpaw style and constant chain-wrestling present a distinctly different challenge to anything Prates has faced.
Why it matters
- A win over Madalena would strengthen Prates's case as the division's most dangerous striker outside the top four
- Makhachev's August bout with Garry will determine the champion Prates is targeting, giving this callout a firm timeline
- Prates's switch-stance, high-volume striking contrasts sharply with Makhachev's grappling-first approach, making the potential matchup a compelling stylistic clash
- The welterweight division remains fluid at the top, and a convincing Prates victory could accelerate a title conversation regardless of who emerges from August
