Veteran suggests ideal rival for Carlos Prates to earn a chance to face Makhachev in the UFC: 'The most exciting fight of 2026'

Prates during a fight at UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

Carlos Prates He is, at the very least, one victory away from challenging for the Ultimate's welterweight (up to 77 kg) belt. 'The Smoker' defeated Leon edwards brutally in UFC 322, entered the top 5 of the division and became one of the possible rivals for the champion. Islam makhachevStill, given the strong competition, the Brazilian will likely need to return to the octagon to secure that coveted title shot. And, for the veteran Michael chiesaThere is a perfect name to take Brazilians to the top.

In an interview with 'MMA Junkie', Michael chiesa pointed Jack Della Maddalena as the ideal rival to boost Carlos Prates On the road to the top. For the veteran, offering a favorable matchup can be strategic in guiding an athlete towards a title fight, and in the smoker's case, beating the former champion would be the decisive 'stamp of approval' and, as a bonus, a great show for the fans.

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"Do Della Maddalena and Prates. Sometimes you want to give a wrestler favorable fights to lead him to a title fight because it attracts more fans. So it's like: if you win..." Jack Della Maddalena"The champion, 'GOOD!', stamped his ticket. If they make this fight happen, I'll say: it will be one of, if not the most, exciting fights we'll see in 2026. This is the fight to make. It's Prates' ticket to the title shot," he said. Michael chiesa.

Carlos Prates faces stiff competition in the race for the UFC title.

Despite the resounding victory about Leon edwards No. UFC 322, Carlos Prates He wasn't the only one to thrill the audience in New York. At the same event, MichaelMorales knocked out Sean brady and moved into third place in the welterweight rankings.

Besides Prates and Morales, Kamaru Usman also appears as a strong candidate to challenge for the title of Islam makhachevThe former champion gains strength both from the legacy he built in the division and from his dominant performance against Joaquin buckley in the last round.

The dispute also includes Ian Gary e Belal Muhammad |, who face each other in the co-main event of the UFC Qatar, And Shavkat Rakhmonov, who is returning from injury and has not competed since December 2024.