Carlos Prates Calls Out Islam Makhachev in Video, Declaring Himself Wrestling's Worst Nightmare

Carlos Prates has publicly called out welterweight champion Islam Makhachev in a video that is making the rounds online, casting himself as wrestling's worst nightmare. Prates appears to be drinking in the clip, which adds a chaotic edge to the challenge.

Fellow fighter Eric Albarracin amplified the message, delivering a hype-style line about Prates: "He smokes American cigarettes. He drinks Irish whiskey. He breaks women's hearts. And he's coming to dethrone the pound-for-pound king. Wrestling's worst nightmare."

Prates, known as "The Nightmare," is a 33-year-old Brazilian who fights out of Vale Top Team. He sits second in the welterweight rankings with a 24-7 record. A switch-stance striker, he stands six-foot-one (185 cm) with a 78-inch reach, a clear length advantage. Prates lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. He has almost no wrestling output, averaging just 0.21 takedowns per 15 minutes and no submission attempts.

Makhachev is the welterweight champion at 29-1. The 34-year-old Russian trains with Eagles MMA and fights from a southpaw stance. He is built on grappling, averaging 3.22 takedowns per 15 minutes and 0.9 submission attempts. He is also an effective striker, landing 2.27 significant strikes per minute at 58 percent accuracy. He stands five-foot-ten (178 cm) with a 70-inch reach.

Why it matters

• Prates is ranked second at welterweight, so his challenge to the champion carries real divisional weight.
• The matchup is a stark contrast in styles: a rangy, high-volume striker against one of the sport's most dominant grapplers.
• Prates holds an eight-inch reach advantage, while Makhachev's takedown rate is far higher than anything Prates has shown on offense.
• The callout is a social media moment only; no bout has been made official.