Carlos Prates reveals eight-fight UFC deal worth over $1 million per fight

Carlos Prates has confirmed his new UFC contract pays him more than $1 million per fight, making the Brazilian welterweight one of the better-compensated fighters on the roster. Prates recently signed an eight-fight deal with the promotion and spoke publicly about the terms for the first time in an interview with Fighters Weekly.

“It’s more [than $1 million per fight],” Prates said. “I’m really happy. I’m really happy.”

Despite the length of the contract, the 33-year-old is not committing to fighting out all eight bouts. He framed his future in the sport around motivation and competitive drive rather than contractual obligation.

“I don’t know if I’m going to do all eight fights,” Prates added. “Or maybe two, or three, or one fight. I cannot say when I’m gonna stop fighting. Maybe I can stop tomorrow, maybe I can stop after the next fight. I don’t know. I just like to live day by day, bro. I want to make money and beat everybody, be a champ, and when I get tired of this, I’m gonna stop. I’m addicted to winning; I’m addicted to competing. So, if I want to compete and win, I need to train. That’s why I train hard every time. When I feel like I cannot compete anymore, I cannot be the number one anymore; it doesn’t make sense to fight.”

Prates (24-7) had been targeting a welterweight title shot against champion Islam Makhachev (29-1) in January 2027, but those plans have shifted after Makhachev indicated he will return following Ramadan next year. In the interim, Prates is scheduled to fight unbeaten prospect Michael Morales (19-0) for the interim welterweight title at UFC 336 on January 30 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

The interim title bout against Morales now serves as the most immediate measure of whether Prates can back up his new contract with a championship. A win would position him as the mandatory challenger for Makhachev and bring him closer to the undisputed gold he has identified as his primary goal in the sport.