Carlos Prates could become Islam Makhachev's next challenger in the UFC; find out why.

Carlos Prates and Islam Makhachev are standouts in the UFC welterweight division. Photo montage by SUPER LUTAS.

Carlos Prates has definitively entered the fight for the Ultimate welterweight (up to 77kg) belt. At UFC 322, held last Saturday (15), the 'smoker' from Fighting Nerds knocked out Leon Edwards with a precise left straight and became one of the main names in the category led by Islam Makhachev . Amidst strong competition, the Brazilian has solid arguments to justify a future title shot.

His greatest asset is his ability to generate entertainment. In seven UFC appearances, Prates has six brutal knockouts and six performance bonuses. Even in his only loss in the organization, against Ian Garry , he came close to staging a historic comeback by almost knocking out the Irishman.

Another point in favor of the Brazilian is a promise made by Dana White. In an interview with UFC Brazil, Carlos Prates revealed that the president guaranteed that a knockout of Leon Edwards in the first round would put him very close to a title shot. Although he only achieved the result in the second round, there is great expectation that White will still fulfill the agreement, given the impact of the victory.

Carlos Prates' competition in the fight for the UFC belt.

Despite the Brazilian's arguments, the welterweight division is currently experiencing a period of high competitiveness and could still receive an 'unexpected' contender for the challenger spot.

Kamaru Usman

Kamaru Usman dominated Joaquin Buckley in the main event of UFC Atlanta . Photo: Reproduction/X.

After losing the belt to Leon Edwards , failing in the rematch, and being defeated by Khamzat Chimaev in the middleweight division (up to 83,9kg), many began to doubt whether Kamaru Usman still belonged to the elite. However, in his most recent fight, the Nigerian dominated Joaquin Buckley in the main event of UFC Atlanta and showed that he remains competitive.

Furthermore, Islam Makhachev himself has expressed interest in facing him. Since Usman is considered by many to be one of the greatest welterweights in history, defeating him would greatly enhance the Dagestani's legacy.

MichaelMorales

Morales celebrates victory in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

Another strong contender is Michael Morales . At UFC 322, the Ecuadorian dominated Sean Brady in the first round, reinforcing his position in the division. Undefeated at 26 years old, Morales has seven wins in the UFC, five of them by knockout. In his last three fights, he earned three performance bonuses by defeating Neil Magny , Gilbert Burns , and Brady himself, all in the first round.

Belal Muhammad vs. Ian Garry

Ian Garry is one of the top names in the UFC welterweight division. Photo: Reproduction/UFC

Belal Muhammad and Ian Garry face off in the co-main event of UFC Qatar, this Saturday (22), in a crucial duel for the future of the category. A victory could put the Palestinian back on the path to the belt. As for the Irishman, if he wins, he will become one of the favorites for the title shot: he would be the only one of the new generation to defeat a former champion and would also have passed Carlos Prates , a direct competitor.

Shavkat Rakhmonov

Shavkat Rakhmonov in victory at UFC 310 (Photo: Instagram)

Even though he's been out of the spotlight for the past few months, Shavkat Rakhmonov remains an extremely dangerous name. The Kazakh fighter was scheduled to fight for the title at UFC 310 against Belal Muhammad , but suffered an injury and has not yet returned to the octagon. His return could directly impact the list of challengers.

Ilia Topuria

Ilia Topuria poses with two UFC belts after her victory against Charles Oliveira . Photo: Reproduction/Instagram.

Ilia Topuria , the lightweight champion (up to 70,3kg), could also jump the queue. The Spaniard has maintained a rivalry with Makhachev since he relinquished his featherweight title (up to 65,7kg) to face him, a fight that ultimately didn't happen, as the Russian also gave up his lightweight title to win gold in the welterweight division.

There is anticipation that the duel will finally take place in the main event of UFC White House , scheduled for June 2026, on the lawn of the United States presidential residence.

Exclusive: Michael PQD talks about his brutal UFC debut victory.