Carlos Prates thinks Islam Makhachev may see a clear wrestling argument against him, but he is not buying the idea that getting taken down by other welterweights means the same thing happens in a possible UFC title fight. After his violent win over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC Perth, Prates told Daniel Cormier that Makhachev may view him as a “less hard” matchup than Ian Machado Garry because recent opponents have managed to put him on the mat.
Prates, a Brazilian welterweight from Taubaté, São Paulo, is a former Muay Thai fighter who now trains with Fighting Nerds and Vale Top Team. He is listed as 24-7 in MMA, holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and has climbed into the top tier of the UFC welterweight picture with 19 knockout wins.
Cormier asked Prates how it felt to hear Makhachev mention him as an exciting option. Prates said he believes Makhachev may be looking at the matchup because of the takedown tape.
“I think he say that just because he think I’m easier fight,” Prates said, before clarifying, “Not easier, but less hard, let’s say.”
Prates said he believes Makhachev may be looking at the takedowns scored by Leon Edwards, Garry, and Della Maddalena. He argued those moments do not tell the full story because none of them kept him there.
“Leon Edwards took me down, JDM took me down. So, you know, maybe Ian Garry took me down one time, maybe he think it’s going to be easy,” Prates said. “When I fight these guys, I haven’t care about takedowns.”
Prates specifically pointed back to the Della Maddalena fight and said he did not panic when JDM changed levels. He said he opened his arms, smiled, and talked to him on the way down.
“When JDM took me down, he come to try takedown, I haven’t tried to defense. I just open my arms and smile,” Prates said.
Watch the full interview below:
Prates Respects Makhachev’s Grappling, But Says He Is “Human Like Us”
Makhachev is one of the most decorated grappling threats in the sport, a 28-1 former lightweight champion with a combat sambo base and years of proof against elite UFC opposition. Prates did not downplay that, but he also refused to treat Makhachev as unbeatable.
“Makhachev is really good on grappling, really good,” Prates said. “But until now, everybody who took me down, I got up.”
“He’s not from another planet, you know. He’s human like us. So let’s see if when he took me down, I cannot get up.”
Makhachev may have the best wrestling and grappling in the division, but Prates believes the evidence against him is incomplete because nobody has held him down long enough to break him. After Cormier recently argued Prates had delivered at a title-shot level, the Brazilian is making his case around the same problem for opponents: they still have to keep him down.
Prates also expects Makhachev to beat Garry if that fight comes together, though he gave Garry a real chance.
“Of course I think Makhachev going to win,” Prates said. “But I truly believe Ian Garry have really good skills to beat him. I think Makhachev going to win because Ian Garry is the underdog. Makhachev is double champ, you know, a really good fighter. But I really believe Ian have really good skills to beat Makhachev.”
Prates still prefers Garry for personal reasons. Garry is 17-1, a former Cage Warriors welterweight champion, and the only man in this title picture who already owns a win over Prates.
“That lose to Ian is still hurt me a little bit,” Prates said. “It’s still a little bit painful. So I think me and you, we still have some business to do.”
Cormier asked if Prates would rather Garry be the champion when his opportunity arrives. Prates answered, “Yeah.” He still admitted Makhachev is the bigger legacy fight, saying, “For the legacy, Makhachev is great,” but added, “For me, by personal, I prefer Ian.”
Prates said he would rather wait than take another fight right now because he wants time to sharpen new weapons before a possible title shot.
“Not now. No. I prefer wait, you know, because also I have time also to train, improve, get better some skills,” Prates said. “I want to bring something new to the Octagon.”
If the UFC asks him to serve as backup for Makhachev vs. Garry, Prates said he would do that too. Cormier asked if he would weigh in and be ready in case something happened to either man, and Prates answered, “I can do this. I can do this.”
Prates thinks Makhachev probably beats Garry, wants Garry for the personal rematch, and believes Makhachev may be interested because the takedown footage looks useful. His answer to that concern is the same one he gave Cormier: every opponent who took him down still had to let him back up.
Related: Prates previously said he would be next for Makhachev vs. Garry and even floated a future jump to 170 for Ilia Topuria after UFC gold.
