Carlos Prates now has ammunition to call out Islam Makhachev by pointing out that he finished Jack Della Maddalena, while Makhachev only won a decision. The post suggests this gives Prates leverage in potential media exchanges with the champion. Islam Makhachev now faces multiple potential opponents creating storylines in the media, with Ian Garry and others also positioned as possible challengers. The commentary notes that Garry and his camp would not be the first to engage in promotional buildup with Makhachev. This creates an interesting dynamic where several welterweights can use their performances to build cases for title shots.
Carlos Prates has emerged as a vocal presence in the welterweight title conversation, armed with a talking point that separates him from champion Islam Makhachev: Prates finished Jack Della Maddalena, while Makhachev only took a decision win over the same opponent.
Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," carries a 24-7 record and sits fifth in the welterweight rankings at 32 years old. The Brazilian southpaw-switch fighter out of Vale Top Team stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach — one of the longer frames in the division — and averages 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. His stoppage of Della Maddalena gives him a concrete distinction to highlight in any media-driven push toward a title shot.
Makhachev is the reigning welterweight champion and the top-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, holding a 28-1 record at 34 years old. The Russian Eagle out of Eagles MMA is known for a well-rounded game that blends 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes with 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, all while landing strikes at 58 percent accuracy. His decision win over Della Maddalena, however, is now a data point that Prates can use to frame his own finish as the more emphatic performance.
Della Maddalena, ranked fourth at welterweight and 13th pound-for-pound, is one of the division's busiest strikers at 5.57 significant strikes per minute. The 29-year-old Australian from Scrappy MMA carries an 18-4 record, and having lost to both Makhachev and now Prates, he serves as a measuring stick connecting the two fighters in the rankings conversation.
Why it matters
- Prates can point to a finish over the same opponent Makhachev only defeated by decision, giving him a media-ready argument for title contention.
- Ian Garry and others are also building challenger narratives around Makhachev, making the welterweight title picture unusually crowded.
- Makhachev faces a growing list of opponents with promotional angles, complicating the path to any single mandatory or marquee matchup.
