Islam Makhachev reacted to Carlos Prates's recent victory with a lighthearted social media post, calling him "Nutella cake" in Russian. The comment appears to be a playful jab at Prates, though the specific context of the Nutella reference is unclear from the post. Makhachev's response suggests he is paying attention to Prates as a potential future opponent. The post does not indicate whether Makhachev is seriously interested in facing Prates or simply commenting on the performance. This social media interaction adds to the growing narrative around potential matchups for the lightweight champion.
Islam Makhachev took to social media following Carlos Prates's recent victory to offer a brief but eyebrow-raising reaction, referring to the Brazilian contender as "Nutella cake" — a phrase drawn from Russian slang — in what appeared to be a playful dig at the welterweight ranked fighter.
Makhachev, 34, holds a 28-1 record and is the reigning welterweight champion, currently sitting atop the pound-for-pound rankings. The Dagestan native trains out of Eagles MMA and fights out of a southpaw stance, standing five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach. He lands 2.63 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 58 percent, while also averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes — a reminder that his grappling threat remains ever-present.
Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," enters the conversation ranked fifth in the welterweight division with a 24-7 record. The 32-year-old Brazilian out of Vale Top Team is a switch-stance striker who stands six-foot-one with a notably long 78-inch reach. He produces an active striking output of 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, making him one of the more dangerous stand-up fighters in the division.
The specific meaning behind the "Nutella cake" reference was not explained in Makhachev's post, leaving the full intent open to interpretation. What the interaction does signal, however, is that the champion is keeping tabs on Prates following his latest performance.
Why it matters
- Makhachev publicly acknowledging Prates adds weight to the Brazilian's case as a future title challenger
- A potential matchup would pit the champion's elite wrestling and grappling against Prates's high-volume striking and reach advantage
- At fifth in the divisional rankings, Prates is already within the window of legitimate contender consideration
