Colby Covington shared an early prediction for the upcoming interim welterweight title fight between Carlos Prates and Michael Morales. Covington pinpointed one area that he believes will be exploited and predicted that Prates will get his hand raised.
Prates vs. Morales takes place at UFC 336 and will determine who faces Islam Makhachev in a title unification fight. Makhachev was originally linked to a bout with Prates at the event. However, he requested more time and will return to the octagon after Ramadan instead.
Prates and Morales have been two of the most exciting welterweight fighters in the UFC. As a result, fans were not entirely upset about the fight being booked given the circumstances.
Covington shared what he has seen from both fighters and is leaning toward a Prates victory.
Colby Covington Drops Early Prediction for Carlos Prates vs. Michael Morales
Colby Covington predicted what he believes will transpire when Carlos Prates and Michael Morales fight for the interim UFC welterweight championship.
While Morales does have the size advantage, Covington believes Prates is a much more polished striker. As a result, ‘Chaos’ predicts that the Brazilian will capitalize on the feet and capture the interim welterweight title.
“I think Prates picks [Morales] apart. You know, I think Michael Morales is unproven,” Covington told Ozoon.
“Some of the fights that I have seen with [Morales in], I watched one fight with him when he fought a kid that I fought. I TKO’d Max Griffin, [and later Morales] fought Max Griffin. Some of the punches he was throwing were just like flailing punches. They weren’t like crisp, smooth, nice, good clean boxing. They were just haymakers, and it didn’t look like he had a lot of strategy. It looked like he was just closing his eyes and hoping that a big shot lands,” Covington said.
Covington Praises Prates’ Striking Skills
Covington also praised Prates’ striking skills when explaining why he feels the Brazilian is a better fighter than Morales. ‘The Nightmare’ enters his fight with Morales following three straight finishes. Two of those came against former champions Leon Edwards and Jack Della Maddalena.
According to Covington, Prates being more strategic with his strikes makes him a much more dangerous opponent. Because of that, ‘Chaos’ is confident that Prates will win decisively.
“Prates is a lot more calculated. He’s a good Muay Thai fighter. He keeps his hands high, and he’s got good reach, and he likes his shots to go down the middle, and that’s tough. A guy that’s going to go down the middle, it’s going to get you a lot quicker than a guy going around. If you go this way, your arm’s a lot more extended and you have better reach to go down the center versus going around. So, I think Prates picks him apart. That’s my pick,” Covington said.
Colby Covington Drops Early Prediction for Carlos Prates vs. Michael Morales