Rising MMA star Carlos Prates believes that UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev is looking past him as a potentially tough opponent.
Prates is coming off an insane KO win over Jack Della Maddalena earlier this month that put him right in the thick of things in the talented welterweight title picture. While Makhachev will likely face Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 in August, Prates is still hoping he gets the call instead.
If that happens, it could be because Makhachev views Prates as the easier fight, according to the Brazilian in a new interview.
Carlos Prates Believes Islam Makhachev is Looking Past Him
Speaking to Daniel Cormier, Prates explained why he thinks Makhachev would rather face him than Machado Garry in his next title defense. As far as Prates goes, he knows that he’s shown holes in his takedown defense during his UFC career, and he believes Makhachev thinks he can exploit them, though Prates believes that the champ will have another thing coming if that’s the case.
“He thinks I’m an easier fight than Ian Garry… I think so. Not easier but less hard… Maybe because Ian beat me. As I said, Leon Edwards took me down, JDM took me down, and Ian Garry took me down one time too. Maybe he thinks it’s gonna be easy,” Prates said (via LowKickMMA).
“But when I fought those guys, I didn’t care about the takedowns… Of course Islam is a really good grappler. But when I fought Ian, Leon, and ‘JDM,’ I knew I am a BJJ black belt… I am good on the ground also. I know those guys aren’t gonna finish me or keep me on the ground. Makhachev is a really good grappler, but until now, everybody who took me down, I got up. One thing I know is he’s not from another planet. He is human like us. So let’s see if he can take me down and stop me from getting back up.”
“He [Islam] just thinks that I’m an easier fight than Ian Garry.
Because Ian beat me. Leon Edwards took me down, JDM took me down, Ian Garry took me down one time.
Maybe he thinks it’s gonna be
The UFC Welterweight Division is Stacked
The UFC welterweight division is as stacked as it’s ever been right now.
At the top of the food chain, you have Makhachev, who is simply an amazing talent. Then, right underneath him, you have Machado Garry, Prates, and rising star Michael Morales as top contenders. You can also throw Sean Brady’s name into that mix.
Below them, you have several former champs, including the aforementioned Della Maddalena, Belal Muhammad, Leon Edwards, and Kamaru Usman, though he’s rumored to be moving up to middleweight to fight Dricus Du Plessis at UFC Oklahoma City.
You also have several other rising contenders such as Mike Malott, Gabriel Bonfim, Uros Medic, and more.
Overall, the UFC welterweight division looks incredible, and Makhachev has tons of challengers waiting for him to defend his belt against them.
For now, it looks like Machado Garry will be next in line, but don’t be surprised if Prates jumps the queue and gets the next title shot instead, especially if Makhachev thinks it will be an easier night at the office.
Carlos Prates Thinks Islam Makhachev is Looking Past Him