Prates vows to knock out Makhachev and become Brazil's first UFC welterweight champion

Carlos Prates issued a direct knockout warning to UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Saturday night, moments after watching Makhachev retain his title with a unanimous decision over Ian Garry in the UFC 330 main event.

“I will knock you out, bro,” Prates told Makhachev. “I will knock you out. I will bring that belt to Brazil. The first welterweight champion from Brazil.”

Prates was in attendance as a spectator and used the occasion to make his ambitions unmistakably clear. The Brazilian, known as “The Nightmare”, has already mapped out the rest of his year: a title fight against Makhachev in December, followed by a defence against fellow top-ranked contender Michael Morales the following April.

Prates also crossed paths with Morales, who had weighed in as the official backup for the main event, and wasted no time setting the terms of their eventual meeting. “No, I’m going to beat Islam and then we’ll fight,” Prates told him. “I’m going to fight Islam in December and then I’m going to fight [you] in April.”

The confidence is not without context. Makhachev, widely regarded as the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, was pushed harder than expected by Garry. The Irishman repeatedly stuffed Makhachev’s takedown and submission attempts throughout the contest, forcing the champion to rely on a dominant final round to secure the judges’ scorecards. It was Makhachev’s second consecutive decision win since moving up to welterweight, a notable contrast to the finishing streak he built at lightweight.

Significantly, Makhachev himself pointed to Prates as the most deserving next challenger for the 170-pound title after the fight, lending credibility to the Brazilian’s push for a December date. Should the matchup materialise, Prates would enter as a genuine knockout threat against a champion who has shown, at least at welterweight, that he can be troubled on the feet and on the mat.