Carlos Prates has given his two cents on why top contender Ian Machado Garry deserves to fight for the UFC welterweight title next over him.
Garry, who’s riding a two-fight win streak, last fought Belal Muhammad at UFC Qatar and won by unanimous decision. After that, he called out champion Islam Makhachev. “The Future” also went to Georgia to find southpaw wrestlers who can help him beat Makhachev, and in August, he’s expected to lock horns with the Dagestani wrestling maestro.
Meanwhile, Prates has knocked out three opponents back-to-back, of whom two are former UFC champions. The Brazilian is now the No. 2-ranked welterweight contender and believes that after the potential Garry vs. Makhachev title bout, he will fight the winner.
Carlos Prates on why Ian Machado Garry is going to fight UFC welterweight titleholder Islam Makhachev next
On Pound 4 Pound, explaining why the UFC will choose Garry over him to be Islam Makhachev’s next opponent, “The Nightmare” explained that the Irishman has taken two fights on short notice.
In 2024, Ian Machado Garry locked horns with Shavkat Rakhmonov on short notice, and in 2025, he took another last-minute bout against Carlos Prates and won by unanimous decision, handing the latter his first UFC loss.
Prates believes Garry’s short-notice risk-taking habits have impressed the UFC brass, and that is the sole reason he will get the next title shot. He said:
I fought Geoff Neal, I fought Leon Edwards, and I fought JDM. I knocked out three guys, two former champs. If we look at the last three fights of Ian, he lost to Shavkat, and he beat 2 guys. Me by points, and also Belal Muhammad by points… He got two fights on short notice. Me and Shavkat. I think it’s probably the way the UFC sees it. You got your fights, and now we are going to help you… He was a top contender. He didn’t need to fight me on short notice… Yet he [agreed to fight me].”
Check out Carlos Prates’ comments about Ian Machado Garry below:
