A potential fight between Carlos Prates and Islam Makhachev is already being studied by Fighting Nerds. After closely following the Russian's victory over Ian Machado Garry , Pablo Sucupira, the Brazilian team's main coach, identified situations presented by the champion that could be exploited by 'Pesadelo' in a possible confrontation for the welterweight belt (up to 77,1 kg).
In an exclusive interview with SUPER LUTAS , Sucupira analyzed Makhachev's performance and highlighted mainly the moments when the champion struggled to control Garry's game. According to the coach, some of these openings could have been even more dangerous against an athlete with Prates' knockout power.
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“There were some things that we even imagined would happen. Garry is a tall guy, a guy with high hips, it's difficult to keep him on the ground, difficult to take him down because he doesn't stay still for long. There are some patterns we saw in Makhachev's takedowns, some ground patterns and, mainly, some standing situations that I think everyone thought: 'If it were Carlão there at that moment, Carlão would have gotten him'. So I think we saw that, scenarios where Carlos Prates standing could knock out Makhachev and we're going to work towards that,” said Pablo Sucupira.
The analysis gains even more weight due to Prates' style. The Brazilian is known for the power of his strikes and his high finishing ability in striking, a characteristic that could represent a threat to Islam Makhachev 's dominance . In his recent UFC career, the Fighting Nerds athlete has established himself as one of the division's top knockout artists.
Prates himself also expressed confidence in his chances against Makhachev after watching the fight. The Brazilian stated that he became even more confident after observing certain situations presented by Garry, especially in the positions where he managed to make it difficult for the Russian double champion to control him.
Carlos Prates fighters in MMA
Prates focused before fighting in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC
At 33 years old, Prates is one of the leading names in the UFC welterweight division. A native of Taubaté (SP), the Brazilian has a professional record of 24 wins and seven losses, with an impressive 19 knockout victories and three by submission, numbers that reinforce his reputation as a striker. A member of the Fighting Nerds team, 'Pesadelo' is experiencing a great phase in the organization, riding a wave of victories over names like Jack Della Maddalena , Leon Edwards , and Geoff Neal , establishing himself as one of the main contenders for the division's belt.
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