The landscape of the UFC welterweight division is shifting rapidly, and surging knockout artist Carlos "The Nightmare" Prates has a very clear vision of where he fits into the championship picture. In an exclusive sit-down interview with LowKick MMA, the explosive Brazilian striker detailed his strategic blueprint for dethroning reigning 170-pound champion and pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev, outlining a path that runs through a major upcoming interim title fight.
Prates had originally prepared for a different timeline, spending his recent training camps sharpening his wrestling, incorporating judo techniques, and bolstering his takedown defense with the specific goal of challenging Makhachev at UFC 336. However, circumstances at the top of the division forced a dramatic pivot. Because the dominant Russian champion indicated he would not be ready to return to the Octagon in January, the UFC matchmakers adjusted the trajectory of the division.
As a result, Prates is now slated to face undefeated rising star Michael Morales in the co-main event of UFC 336. At stake in the matchup is the interim welterweight championship. Under the promotional mandate for the bout, the winner will secure a guaranteed opportunity to face Makhachev in a high-stakes title unification bout later in 2027.
Even with a formidable challenge standing across the cage from him in Morales, the 33-year-old Brazilian is already looking ahead. Operating with supreme confidence in his trademark striking and overall evolution as a mixed martial artist, Prates believes he will dispatch Morales and immediately turn his full attention toward claiming the undisputed 170-pound throne from Makhachev.
Carlos Prates on How He Will Stop Islam Makhachev
Makhachev has long proven to be one of the most dominant forces in mixed martial arts history, utilizing suffocating grappling, chain wrestling, and relentless pressure to neutralize elite opposition across divisions. Yet, Prates views the formidable champion not as an unsolvable puzzle, but as the next logical step in his career trajectory.
When asked during his exclusive interview with LowKick MMA—conducted with the support of Squawka—how he plans to dethrone the pound-for-pound ruler, Prates offered a straightforward and confident assessment of the matchup.
"I think it’s not different from what I normally do," Prates explained. "Just working on the takedown defense, how to get up in the right way, keep striking. No secret. What’s the deciding factor against Islam? I think my knockout power and the way I like to hurt my opponents also."
Prates has built a fearsome reputation inside the Octagon on the back of his concussive finishing ability, having won every single one of his UFC bouts by way of knockout. He intends to approach his upcoming clash against Morales with that same devastating offense, aiming to replicate his previous successes before setting his sights on sending Makhachev to the shadow realm in their eventual title unification clash.
Representing the renowned Team Fighting Nerds gym, Prates has consistently demonstrated that his striking is among the most dangerous in the sport, combining technical precision with devastating power that can alter the course of a fight in a single exchange. While neutralizing Makhachev’s grappling pedigree remains a primary focus of his preparation, Prates firmly believes that his natural finishing instincts will ultimately prove to be the ultimate equalizer at the championship level.
Beyond his immediate ambitions of capturing the interim title against Morales and subsequently challenging Makhachev for undisputed gold, Prates is also keeping an eye on the rest of the division’s elite. The Brazilian striker has openly acknowledged that once he ascends to the top of the welterweight mountain as champion, he would be more than willing to run it back with Ian Machado Garry.
Garry stands as the man responsible for handing Prates the only blemish on his promotional record when they collided in 2025. By expressing a desire to settle that score after capturing the belt, Prates has signaled that his championship reign—should he realize his ambitions against Morales and Makhachev—could involve high-profile rematches and defenses against the division’s top contenders. For now, however, all immediate focus remains locked on the upcoming showdown at UFC 336, where Prates will look to take the next major step toward his ultimate goal.
