Undefeated Star Backed to Dethrone Islam Makhachev Over Carlos Prates by Welterweight Contender

Islam Makhachev is still yet to make an official decision for his second welterweight title defense after making history at UFC 330.

Undefeated Star Backed to Dethrone Islam Makhachev Over Carlos Prates by Welterweight Contender

Islam Makhachev may face more problems against Michael Morales (via MMA Fighting)

Since his first welterweight title defense against Ian Garry at UFC 330, doubts have surrounded Islam Makhachev’s next matchup. Carlos Prates has emerged as a favorite after recent performances against former champions. However, Michael Morales has also dominated discussions with his undefeated record and knockout power.

Makhachev entered the 170-pound division with a dominant win over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322. He became the UFC’s 11th two-division champion after winning the welterweight title. At UFC 330, he extended his UFC win streak to 17 fights and became the fifth fighter to defend a belt in a second division.

Morales and Prates were both present at UFC 330 and were seen arguing over who should challenge Makhachev next. Prates explained why he deserved the title shot and recognized Morales as his first defense after potentially beating Makhachev. Sean Brady later weighed in, believing Morales would pose more problems for the champion.

I think Prates can knock anybody out, for sure. Out of Prates and Morales, everyone’s gonna say I’m biased because I lost to Morales, but I think Morales will give Islam a harder time. I was asking for the Carlos Prates fight, so I’ve gone back and done the tape study on him, where I’ve seen guys in ONE FC take him down and beat him on the ground. I think Islam will be able to do the same thing, whereas with Morales, we still don’t know how good he is.

Sean Brady via The Ariel Helwani Show

Brady speaks from experience after facing Morales at UFC 322, where he entered as the No. 2 contender against the No. 8-ranked Ecuadorian. The veteran wanted to make a statement and strengthen his case for a title shot. However, Morales dominated the fight and secured a first-round TKO at 3:27 handing Brady a major setback.

Morales has built a major name in the division through dominant wins. At UFC Vegas 96, he stopped Neil Magny at 4:39 of Round 1, then followed it with a TKO over Gilbert Burns at UFC Vegas 106. His knockout over an experienced veteran such as Burns cemented the Ecuadorian’s place in the welterweight contenders.

Prates has also made a strong case for the next title shot through major victories over former champions. He first knocked out Leon Edwards at UFC 322 before completely brutalizing JDM at UFC Perth. Those back-to-back wins over former champions made his title ambitions clear to the entire 170-pound division.

However, Makhachev has expressed interest in facing Prates, calling him an interesting matchup because of his exciting fighting style. The Dagestani champion believes Prates could provide an entertaining challenge at 170 pounds. Makhachev has also maintained that Morales needs to beat more top contenders before earning a title shot.

Morales holds major size advantages over Islam Makhachev, standing 6 feet tall with a 79-inch reach and a bigger frame. He reportedly walks around at roughly 193 pounds between fights, emphasizing his physical advantages at welterweight. However, it remains to be seen whether the champion will heed Sean Brady’s assessment.

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(Video) Carlos Prates and Michael Morales Argue Over Next Title Shot Against Islam Makhachev After UFC 330

Former UFC champion clears beef with Islam Makhachev after recent back and forth

After defeating Ian Garry at UFC 330, Islam Makhachev celebrated with his team after retaining his welterweight title. The Dagestani star then took a Russian flag featuring his name, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s, and Usman Nurmagomedov’s. He later wrapped the flag around his body during his post-fight interview.

Merab Dvalishvili initially reacted negatively to the Russian flag during Makhachev’s UFC 330 celebration. The former bantamweight champion questioned why the flag was brought into the Octagon following Makhachev’s victory. His reaction centered on the flag’s presence during the champion’s post-fight celebrations.

Islam Makhachev
Islam Makhachev (via X)

Makhachev responded to Dvalishvili’s criticism by pushing back against the Georgian’s reaction to his UFC 330 celebration. The Dagestani champion also referenced Petr Yan’s previous victory over Dvalishvili during the exchange. However, the former champion has now clarified what had actually frustrated him about the celebration.

I like Islam Makhachev. I think he’s a great and humble champion. I respect all the hard work he has put into his career, I have nothing but respect for him. But when I saw his team bring the Russian flag into the octagon, I was upset. And the reason I reacted that way is because, first during all five of my UFC title fights, I was never allowed to bring my Georgian or American flag into the cage.

Merab Dvalishvili via Instagram

The UFC briefly banned flags inside the Octagon in May 2022 before CEO Dana White later brought them back. However, Dvalishvili has claimed he was still not allowed to bring his Georgian-American flag into the Octagon. The situation adds another layer to the discussion surrounding flags and fighter celebrations under UFC rules.

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