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Carlos Prates of the UFC.

Welterweight contender Carlos Prates called for a title shot following a destructive knockout win at UFC Perth.

Prates had his best performance in the Octagon to date as he systematically beat down former UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena with a wide variety of strikes until finishing him by TKO in the third round. It was a phenomenal victory by Prates, and it puts him in line to potentially fight for the belt very soon.

Recent reports have suggested that UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev is fighting Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 in Philadelphia in August, and Prates basically confirmed that fight after he beat Della Maddalena.

Speaking to UFC commentator Michael Bisping in his post-fight interview, Prates called his shot, saying that he wants the next title shot against the winner of Makhachev vs. Garry.

“Who is next? In August, I’ll be the first in line watching Islam Makhachev, and I’ll be next, fighting the winner,” Prates said.

Islam Makhachev Responds to Carlos Prates

Makhachev took to social media following the bout, congratulating Prates on his amazing win.

“Good job Nutella cake,” Makhachev wrote on X.

Garry also took to social media to react to Prates’ win, saying he would be happy to fight him in a rematch in Brazil should he defeat Makhachev and become the champion.

“Carlos after I beat Islam – You and I in Brazil let’s do it!” Garry wrote on X.

The current champ won the title from Della Maddalena last November when he beat him by decision after five rounds of heavy grappling. The fact that Prates was able to not only beat Della Maddalena but finish him by TKO is a huge feather in his cap, as he now can say he did something that the current champ didn’t.

While Prates could easily jump the line and get the next title shot after such a violent outing, Garry is likely going to get the next crack at Makhachev, which makes sense, given that Garry is the only man to defeat Prates in the UFC, which he did so last April. But Prates will be right behind him in line, and so he won’t have to wait long to get his well-deserved crack at UFC gold.

Carlos Prates is a UFC Superstar

Since entering the UFC in 2024, Prates is 7-1 in the UFC, with all seven of his wins coming by knockout. His lone loss was a decision defeat to Garry last year in a fight he almost finished by knockout in the fifth and final round. Since his only defeat inside the Octagon, Prates has looked better than ever.

Since that fight, he has beaten two former champs in Della Maddalena and Leon Edwards by knockout, plus longtime contender Geoff Neal. He seems to have really improved following his only UFC defeat, and he has shown that he has what it takes to hold the title one day. By finishing Della Maddalena, who was ranked the No. 1 contender in the weight class coming into UFC Perth, Prates should take his spot in the official UFC rankings.

That being said, the opponents whom Prates has fought are mostly striking-based fighters, and the champ, Makhachev, is the most elite grappler in the sport who also has solid standup skills. Makhachev would no doubt be a big challenge for Prates, but he at least wants to get a crack at him, or Garry, should he somehow pull off the upset over the champ. Either way, Prates’ win over Della Maddalena puts him in a great spot, and it will at least bump him past fellow rising star Michael Morales in the welterweight totem pole.