Not worried at all! Carlos Pras downplays champion Makhachev's strong point and guarantees he has a solution to win.

Prates celebrates victory in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

Carlos Prates continues to rack up knockouts in the octagon and, as a result, is getting closer and closer to competing for the welterweight title (up to 77,1 kg). In the main event of UFC Perth , held last Saturday (2), in Australia, the Brazilian massacred former champion Jack Della Maddalena , finishing the fight in the third round. Riding a wave of three big wins, the striker is already looking forward to facing the feared Islam Makhachev , the title holder, and is brimming with confidence in another victory.

In the post- UFC Perth press conference , Prates, thrilled with having achieved the biggest victory of his career, didn't seem worried about the champion's game and, moreover, guaranteed he had the solution to neutralize him. It's worth noting that Makhachev is a grappling specialist, meaning he relies on wrestling and jiu-jitsu. Furthermore, the Brazilian has been taken down by strikers like former champions Leon Edwards and JDM.

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However, Prates didn't seem desperate on the ground, he controlled the fight and quickly got back to his feet. Therefore, since he trains Jiu-Jitsu frequently, despite being a renowned striker, the Brazilian believes he can also get out from under Makhachev in a potential fight and knock him out. Furthermore, the São Paulo native indicates that the fear of takedowns ends up hurting the Russian's opponents.

“I was talking to him (JDM), like, ‘Now you’ve turned into a wrestler. You’re going to try the takedown.’ He was talking to me too. I wasn’t worried about the takedown. I know a lot of people are going to say how I can fight Makhachev if I got taken down by JDM in the first round,” said the UFC top fighter.

“If you watch, when he came for the takedown, I just opened my arms, like, ‘Oh, now you’re a wrestler.’ I’m not afraid of takedowns. I’m really not afraid. I’m a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu. I wasn’t afraid of going to the ground and him catching me,” he concluded.

Victims of Prates in the UFC

In the UFC since 2024, Carlos Prates has risen rapidly and joined the elite of the welterweight division. In the octagon, the Brazilian put on a show by knocking out Trevin Giles , Charles Radtke, Li Jingliang , Neil Magny , Geoff Neal , Leon Edwards , and Jack Della Maddalena , earning seven 'Performance of the Night' bonuses. Currently, the fighter is ranked fifth in the division.

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