Following Carlos Prates' knockout victory over Jack Della Maddalena, he now has ammunition to call out Islam Makhachev by highlighting that he finished Della Maddalena while Makhachev only won by decision. This creates a talking point for Prates to build a case for a title shot against the lightweight champion. The post notes that Makhachev now has multiple potential opponents creating media narratives, with Ian Garry and Shavkat Rakhmonov also in the mix. The observation suggests that this creates promotional opportunities and competitive tension in the division.
Carlos Prates now has a concrete argument to position himself as a title contender after knocking out Jack Della Maddalena, a finish that Islam Makhachev — the reigning welterweight champion — could not manage when the two previously met.
Prates' stoppage of Della Maddalena hands him a ready-made talking point: he did what the pound-for-pound number-one fighter in the world did not. Makhachev, 34, carries a 28-1 record and holds the welterweight title under the Eagles MMA banner. The Dagestani southpaw is one of the sport's most complete fighters, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing strikes at 58 percent accuracy, but his win over Della Maddalena ended on the scorecards rather than by stoppage.
Della Maddalena, the 29-year-old Australian ranked fourth in the welterweight division and 13th pound-for-pound, is one of the most prolific volume strikers in the weight class, landing 5.57 significant strikes per minute. Despite that output, he was unable to survive Prates' finishing power and now sits at 18-4.
The landscape around Makhachev is growing crowded. Shavkat Rakhmonov, the undefeated Kazakh ranked third at welterweight, also looms as a contender. The 31-year-old carries a spotless 19-0 record and brings elite finishing credentials of his own, landing strikes at 60 percent accuracy while averaging 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes. Ian Garry has also been mentioned as part of the conversation around the champion.
Why it matters
- Prates now holds a narrative edge over Makhachev by claiming a finish Makhachev could not secure against the same opponent
- The welterweight title picture is becoming increasingly competitive, with Rakhmonov, Garry, and now Prates all building cases
- Della Maddalena's loss by knockout — given his high-volume striking — underscores the finishing threat Prates brings to any matchup at the top of the division
