Carlos Prates is a prominent Brazilian fighter in the UFC. Photo: Instagram / Carlos Prates
Kamaru Usman is convinced that the only thing that would convince him to share the octagon with Carlos Prates is a fight for a UFC belt. Defeated by Dricus Du Plessis at UFC Oklahoma , held last Saturday (18), the former champion admitted to being a fan of the Brazilian and made it clear that two factors keep him away from a direct confrontation if there is no title at stake.
In a statement on the 'Pound 4 Pound' podcast, Usman emphasized that he admires Prates' style and considers it an honor to face him. However, the Nigerian stressed that he does not wish to prevent the Brazilian from competing for the belt.
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“I’ll be honest. I love Carlos Prates , he’s one of my favorite fighters to watch and it would have been an honor to share the octagon with him. He’s one of the guys I’d be honored to give the opportunity to share the octagon with. But I’m only interested in it if it’s for a title, because I don’t want to be the reason he’s not fighting for the title,” said Kamaru Usman.
The Nigerian also acknowledged the risks of the confrontation, stating that he wouldn't put himself in that situation unless there was a greater reward at stake. Even so, he made a point of praising the smoker.
“I also think that little voice inside us says, ‘I don’t want to get beaten up by that guy unless it’s for the title.’ But anyway, he’s tough and I really enjoy watching him and wouldn’t want to be entertained (by getting knocked out) unless it’s for the title,” concluded the former champion.
Kamaru Usman and Carlos Prates are experiencing opposite moments in the UFC.
After years of reigning in the welterweight division (up to 77 kg), Kamaru Usman was dethroned by Leon Edwards and went into decline in the organization. After losing the belt, the Nigerian was defeated again by the Briton in the rematch and, subsequently, suffered another setback, this time to Khamzat Chimaev , already in the middleweight division (up to 83,9 kg).
Usman attempted a comeback by dominating Joaquin Buckley , but once again tasted the bitter taste of defeat when he shared the octagon with Dricus Du Plessis.
Carlos Prates , on the other hand, is experiencing the opposite scenario. The Brazilian impressed by securing four knockout victories in his debut season in the UFC in 2024. Subsequently, he suffered his first defeat in the organization against Ian Garry , but recovered strongly, stringing together wins over Geoff Neal , Leon Edwards , and Jack Della Maddalena.
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