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Carlos Prates has put an end to the suspense surrounding his future. The 33-year-old Brazilian announces that he has signed a new eight-fight contract with the UFC and claims to be the next challenger for the welterweight title, held by Islam Makhachev. A statement delivered on the Ariel Helwani Show, right after UFC 330 in Philadelphia, and since picked up by many specialized media outlets. At 33, the Brazilian is undoubtedly playing the most important card of his career, at a time when his stock has never been higher in the division.
A new contract, eight fights
According to the fighter's account, everything became clear in Philadelphia.
According to the fighter's account, everything became clear in Philadelphia. Prates explains that he met Hunter Campbell, the UFC's chief business officer, on the sidelines of UFC 330, a discussion that supposedly confirmed his position as the next challenger. Nicknamed "The Nightmare," the native of Taubaté made the information public himself on August 18, before the media picked it up. At this stage, however, the organization has not issued any official announcement: the promise comes solely from the Brazilian fighter. An eight-fight contract, if confirmed, would certainly secure his future within the promotion and reflects the confidence the UFC places in him. Eight fights also represent a horizon of several seasons, ruling out the possibility of a move to another organization and firmly establishing the Brazilian among the division's headliners.
Number one in line, after Maddalena
Prates has risen to the top of the welterweight contenders after a notable victory over Jack Della Maddalena, which placed him at the forefront of the division. From the cageside, he watched Makhachev's title defense against Ian Machado Garry on August 15 in Philadelphia, where the Dagestani retained his 170-pound belt. The Brazilian believes this victory puts him directly on the path to the champion, a reading supported by his ranking as the top contender. His recent journey, marked by spectacular finishes, has made him one of the most anticipated faces in the welterweight division. This rise, built on a series of spectacular finishes, has made him the contender the entire division is now watching.
An announcement to be confirmed
The scenario still needs to be validated by the UFC, which alone decides the schedule for championship fights. Prates, for his part, says he is ready and has repeated for weeks that he can dethrone Makhachev. His striking power has proven itself, but the champion's grappling represents a challenge of a completely different nature than his recent opponents. It remains to be seen when the organization will officialize the date, and whether other contenders will step in before then. In the meantime, the Brazilian knows that his place at the front of the line depends on his upcoming results: in such a competitive division, a single misstep can be enough to reopen the debate.
If the promise is confirmed, the duel would pit the Brazilian's striking power against the Dagestani's ground mastery, a clash of styles that promises to animate the end of the year. While waiting for officialization, Prates has at least obtained one certainty: an eight-fight contract that secures his long-term future within the promotion. What he has already achieved is imposing his name in the title conversation, a position that many contenders spend years trying to reach without ever succeeding.