Carlos Prates now has ammunition to challenge Islam Makhachev by pointing out that he finished Jack Della Maddalena while Makhachev went to a decision with the Australian. This talking point could fuel media storylines as Prates positions himself as a potential opponent for the lightweight champion. The post suggests Makhachev is gaining multiple potential media-friendly opponents who can create compelling narratives. Ian Garry and other contenders are also mentioned as fighters who could generate promotional buzz ahead of potential Makhachev matchups.
Carlos Prates has given himself a pointed talking point in the conversation around welterweight champion Islam Makhachev after finishing Jack Della Maddalena in a manner Makhachev himself could not replicate when the two met. With Prates having stopped the Australian where the champion only managed a decision, the Brazilian now holds a narrative edge that could push him to the front of the line for a potential title shot.
Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," carries a record of 24-7-0 and currently sits fifth in the welterweight rankings. The 32-year-old from Brazil trains out of Vale Top Team and brings an imposing physical profile to the division, standing six-foot-one with a reach of 78 inches. He lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate, and his switch stance adds unpredictability to an already dangerous offensive package.
Makhachev, 34, is the reigning welterweight champion from Russia and the number-one pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. He holds a 28-1-0 record and competes out of Eagles MMA. The Dagestan native is known for a wrestling-heavy game that averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a submission threat of 1.1 attempts per 15 minutes, though he also posts a striking accuracy of 58 percent.
Della Maddalena, the fourth-ranked welterweight and 13th on the pound-for-pound list, is 29 years old and fights out of Australia's Scrappy MMA. The switch-stance striker is one of the division's most active punchers, averaging 5.57 significant strikes per minute, and his 18-4-0 record reflects a fighter considered among the division's elite.
Why it matters
- Prates finishing Della Maddalena where Makhachev went the distance gives him a concrete media narrative entering any title-shot discussion
- At ranked fifth, Prates is close enough to the top of the welterweight ladder to make a legitimate case
- His size advantage over Makhachev, standing three inches taller with eight additional inches of reach, adds a stylistic subplot to any potential matchup conversation
- Ian Garry and other contenders are also reportedly circling, meaning Makhachev faces no shortage of media-friendly challengers heading into his next fight
