Potential upcoming Lightweight and Welterweight fights 🔥 Carlos Prates says the Islam Makhachev fight is locked in 👀 @kalshi give Islam Makhachev a 91% chance to be the welterweight champion at the end of 2026 Comment below thoughts 👇
Carlos Prates has stated that a fight against Islam Makhachev is locked in, setting the stage for what could be a marquee welterweight matchup, though no official announcement has been made public as of yet.
Makhachev, 34, is the reigning welterweight champion and sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings with a 29-1-0 record. The Russian southpaw from Eagles MMA is one of the most complete fighters in the sport, blending elite grappling with sharp striking. He lands 2.27 significant strikes per minute at a 58 percent accuracy rate, and adds 3.22 takedown attempts per 15 minutes to make him a nightmare to game-plan against at 170 pounds.
Prates, known as "The Nightmare," enters as the No. 2-ranked welterweight contender with a 24-7-0 record. The 33-year-old Brazilian out of Vale Top Team stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach — a meaningful size advantage — and is one of the division's most dangerous strikers, averaging 3.77 significant strikes per minute. He operates out of a switch stance and has shown the ability to generate volume and damage on the feet throughout his career.
Why it matters
- Prates as the No. 2-ranked welterweight makes this a legitimate title defense with serious divisional stakes
- The style contrast is stark: Makhachev's elite wrestling and submission threat against Prates's high-output striking and reach advantage
- Makhachev's 70-inch reach versus Prates's 78-inch reach could be a defining factor in any stand-up exchanges
- A Prates victory would instantly reshape the welterweight landscape; a Makhachev win would further cement his dominance across multiple divisions
