Carlos Prates is not holding back, fam! The dude just dropped a bomb on “The Ariel Helwani Show” this Tuesday, claiming UFC CBO Hunter Campbell promised him the next welterweight title shot after he signed a fresh 8-fight deal. Straight up, Prates is coming for the champ, and he’s got some thoughts on Islam Makhachev’s style!
The Talk That Rocked Philly
Prates had a front-row seat for all the action at UFC 330 in Philadelphia this past Saturday, watching intently as welterweight champion Islam Makhachev defended his title against Ian Machado Garry. Makhachev pulled off a hard-fought unanimous decision to lock in his first defense of the 170-pound belt. Afterward, Prates says he linked up with Hunter Campbell and got the word: “I’m the next for the title. New contract. The next one for the title, let’s go.” That new contract is an eight-fight monster, so Prates is locked in for the long haul!
But get this: Prates is not exactly impressed with what he’s seen from Makhachev so far. He didn’t mince words, calling Makhachev’s style “boring.” He said, “I don’t like watching fights at all. Striking fights or some friends, of course, I like to watch. But especially if there’s a grappler fighting, I don’t like to watch. I like to watch people getting knockouts, a lot of action and things like that.” It’s wild because Prates even admits he likes training grappling more now, but still can’t stand watching it in a fight. Talk about a contrast heading into a title fight!
Shocking The World Is The Only Option
You gotta respect Prates’ confidence, though. This dude is a knockout artist, plain and simple. With a 24-7 overall record and a crushing 7-1 in the UFC, all seven of his promotional wins have come by knockout. He’s taken out former welterweight champs like Jack Della Maddalena back in May in Perth, and even Leon Edwards! The guy knows how to finish fights.
Prates figures he’ll have to wait until December for his shot, giving Makhachev time to recover from the damage he took at UFC 330 and get ready for his usual long layoff. But Prates says he’s “in no rush,” and he’s gonna use that time to train, study, and get even more ready. He’s already breaking down tape, saying, “On the takedowns, or when he’s striking, I see the way I can defend some things and stop some takedowns. … He has good kickboxing, bro. Of course, I’m much better, so I’m excited to test myself against him. … I really think I can win, shock the world, make everybody surprised. I will do this.” You love to hear that kind of belief! Prates even has history with Garry, suffering his only UFC loss to him in April 2025. He even praised Garry for his mental strength, despite being confused by Garry’s respect and hugging towards Makhachev in their title fight.
So, buckle up, fight fans! We’ve got a challenger who’s already calling the champ “boring” and promising to “shock the world” in December. This is gonna be a must-watch showdown when it finally goes down!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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