{"id":362154,"date":"2025-12-22T17:55:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T17:55:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/362154\/"},"modified":"2025-12-22T17:55:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T17:55:12","slug":"ufc-star-doesnt-expect-islam-makhachev-fight-after-brutal-knockout-of-ex-champion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/362154\/","title":{"rendered":"UFC star doesn\u2019t expect Islam Makhachev fight after brutal knockout of ex-champion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Top-ranked UFC welterweight contender Carlos Prates seems fairly confident about which fighter will challenge for the division\u2019s title next. <\/p>\n

Currently sitting at #6 in the official UFC welterweight rankings, Prates opened the year with his first UFC loss but has rebounded in stunning fashion with back-to-back knockouts of Geoff Neal<\/a> and former welterweight titleholder Leon Edwards. <\/p>\n

Prates\u2019 second-round finish against Edwards took place on the same UFC 322 card that saw Islam Makhachev move up in weight to claim the welterweight belt from Jack Della Maddalena<\/a>, leaving the Brazilian squarely in them mix for a title shot in the promotion\u2019s suddenly-crowded 170 lbs. division. <\/p>\n

Carlos Prates Expects Kamaru Usman vs. Islam Makhachev Next<\/p>\n

Speaking to Combat Kids MMA (h\/t Red Corner MMA<\/a>), Prates revealed that he expects to see former UFC welterweight titleholder Kamaru Usman get the first crack at Makhachev next year. <\/p>\n

\"Carlos<\/p>\n

Carlos Prates (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Leon Edwards (not pictured) in the welterweight bout during UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, I would love to fight for the belt,\u201d Prates said. \u201cBut, I think Kamaru [Usman] is gonna fight [for the belt]. So, I\u2019m really looking to fight [Jack Della Maddalena] or [Michael] Morales.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Japanese MMA fighter shatters opponent\u2019s win streak with savage KO<\/a><\/p>\n

One of the most successful welterweight champions in UFC history, Usman defended the 170 lbs. belt five times before being knocked out by a stunning last-minute head kick from Edwards during their rematch at UFC 278. <\/p>\n

\"Kamaru<\/p>\n

Kamaru Usman (red gloves) fights Joaquin Buckley (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at State Farm Arena. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Nigerian Nightmare\u201d also fell short against Edwards in their trilogy fight before he dropped a decision to Khamzat Chimaev in a short-notice middleweight outing at UFC 294. Usman returned to the win column this year when he took a unanimous decision over surging welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley <\/a>in the main event of UFC Atlanta. <\/p>\n

No Shortage Of Title Contenders In Stacked UFC Welterweight Division<\/p>\n

Usman now sits at #8 in the UFC welterweight rankings after earning his first win since 2021, and some MMA fans have openly questioned the notion that the UFC plans to have the 38-year-old challenge Makhachev next. <\/p>\n

READ MORE: UFC’s new Paramount Plus era features critical flat fee for full fight access in 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The UFC\u2019s 170 lbs. weight class is about stacked as it\u2019s been in recent memory, and Prates still has a decent case for his first shot at UFC gold even though he sits one spot outside of the division\u2019s Top 5. UFC 322 also saw Michael Morales extend his undefeated record with a first-round finish of Sean Brady, and Ian Machado Garry reasserted himself as one of the promotion\u2019s top welterweights in November when he took a unanimous decision over former titleholder Belal Muhammad<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\"Michael<\/p>\n

Michael Morales (blue gloves) reacts after defeating Sean Brady (red gloves) in the welterweight bout during UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Fans have also been waiting to see when #2-ranked Shavkat Rakhmonov will finally get his long-awaited crack at UFC gold, and recent reports suggest that the undefeated contender is finally gearing up to return<\/a> for the first time since he defeated Machado Garry at UFC 310 in late 2024. <\/p>\n

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