Prates claims UFC guaranteed him next welterweight title shot against Makhachev

Carlos Prates says the UFC has already guaranteed him the next welterweight title shot against Islam Makhachev, contradicting the champion’s own suggestion that Prates and Michael Morales should fight each other to determine the top contender.

Makhachev cemented his status as the sport’s pound-for-pound king at UFC 330 on Saturday, defeating Ian Machado Garry by decision to retain his welterweight title and become the first fighter in UFC history to record 17 consecutive victories. After the fight, Makhachev floated the idea of Prates and Morales meeting to settle the contender picture before he fights again.

But Prates, who was ringside to watch the bout, says the matter is already settled. “I’m the next for the title, basically,” Prates told Ariel Helwani. “New contract, the next one for the title, and let’s go!”

The claim puts Morales in an awkward position. The Ecuadorian contender attended UFC 330 and weighed in as the backup fighter for the main event — a role traditionally viewed as a fast track to a title shot. Prates acknowledged Morales’s standing but suggested the UFC wants him to take one more fight first, naming Belal Muhammad as a possible opponent.

“He’s a nice guy. We meet at the fight, and then he asked me if we’re going to fight or not, and I said of course not because I’m next for the title,” Prates said. “But I told him after the fight, after I beat Islam, I’m going to beat him, and Ian.”

The UFC has not officially confirmed who faces Makhachev next or when the fight will take place. Makhachev has indicated he wants to compete again before Ramadan begins in February, a timeline Prates said he is comfortable with.

Despite the confidence in his claim, Prates is under no illusions about the scale of the challenge. “I know I’m really underdog,” he said. “But I really want to fight him, not because of the title or money, because I want to test myself against him. I really think I can win. I can shock the world.”

Until the UFC makes a formal announcement, the welterweight title picture remains officially unresolved, with both Prates and Morales waiting to learn their fate.