Islam Makhachev responded to Carlos Prates' recent victory with a humorous comment calling him 'Nutella cake.' The lighthearted reaction from the lightweight champion suggests acknowledgment of Prates' performance while maintaining a playful tone. The brief social media interaction has garnered attention from MMA fans as both fighters are considered among the elite in their respective divisions. No further context about the specific fight or the nature of their relationship was provided in the post.
Islam Makhachev took to social media to react to Carlos Prates' recent victory, dubbing the Brazilian striker "Nutella cake" in a comment that quickly drew attention from MMA fans worldwide. The lighthearted remark from the welterweight champion signaled at least an informal acknowledgment of Prates' performance, even if the tone stayed firmly in playful territory.
Makhachev, 34, holds a 28-1 record and currently sits atop the welterweight division as champion and the number-one pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. The Russian southpaw, who trains out of Eagles MMA, is known for a suffocating all-around game, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing 58 percent of his significant strikes — a remarkably high accuracy rate for a fighter who also generates 2.63 significant strikes per minute.
Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," enters the conversation ranked fifth in the welterweight division at 32 years old. The Brazilian carries a 24-7 record and fights out of Vale Top Team, switching stances to generate offense from multiple angles. At six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach — among the longer frames at 170 pounds — he produces 3.77 significant strikes per minute, making him one of the more active volume strikers in the division.
Why it matters
- Makhachev's public acknowledgment of Prates keeps the fifth-ranked contender in the champion's orbit heading into any future title discussions.
- The style contrast is stark: Makhachev's elite grappling and takedown pressure against Prates' length, switch-stance striking, and virtually no ground offense.
- A top-five welterweight drawing the champion's attention on social media often signals where divisional matchmaking conversations begin.
