Covington predicts Makhachev submits Prates in easiest title defence of his career

Colby Covington has written off Carlos Prates as a serious challenger to Islam Makhachev, telling Ariel Helwani that the Brazilian striker would represent the easiest fight of the UFC lightweight champion’s career.

Prates (24-7) has emerged as a leading contender for the next welterweight title shot against Makhachev (29-1), with the pair linked to a potential bout early next year ahead of Ramadan. Covington, however, sees the matchup as entirely one-sided.

“Carlos has nothing for him,” Covington said. “He’s just a straight striker. That’s gonna be the easiest fight of Makhachev’s career. I think [Makhachev] takes him down and submits him with a kimura or a head-and-arm choke.”

Covington’s assessment centres on Prates’ profile as a pure striker, arguing that Makhachev’s elite grappling would neutralise him almost immediately. The Dagestani champion has long been regarded as one of the most complete fighters in the sport, and Covington believes Prates’ lack of a credible ground game makes him an ideal opponent for Makhachev rather than a genuine threat.

The former interim welterweight champion also turned his attention to unbeaten contender Michael Morales (19-0), another name circling the title picture at 170 pounds. While acknowledging Morales’ striking credentials — his last three fights all ended in first-round knockouts — Covington questioned whether the Ecuadorian has been truly tested.

“We got to see how his takedown defense is,” Covington said. “We haven’t seen him in any big fights, high-level five-round fights, so we don’t know what to expect from him… I think he is still unproven and there’s a lot to be seen from that guy.”

Morales recently teased an upcoming fight announcement, while fellow undefeated welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov — also 19-0 — hinted at a potential matchup with the Ecuadorian, which could determine the next legitimate title challenger should Prates fall short.