Carlos Prates Warns Islam Makhachev, "I Know How to Hurt You

EXCLUSIVE: Carlos Prates Sends Warning To Islam Makhachev With “Way I Like to Hurt” Claim

Brazilian knockout artist Carlos Prates has revealed during a recent sit-down with LowKick MMA how he plans to dethrone reigning UFC welterweight champion and pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev.

Prates was training and working on his wrestling, learning some judo, and strengthening his takedown defense, hoping to challenge Makhachev at UFC 336.

However, now the plans have changed drastically.

Prates will now meet the undefeated Michael Morales in the co-main event of the aforementioned numbered event for the interim 170-pound title.

The winner of that bout, by law, will face Makhachev in a title unification bout later in 2027.

This all happened because the Russian phenom said he would not be ready to compete in January.

The 33-year-old Prates, meanwhile, is already looking beyond his UFC 336 bout.

He is confident that he can knock out Morales and capture the interim title with ease.

With that in mind, the Brazilian is now setting his sights on dethroning Islam Makhachev and becoming the undisputed 170-pound UFC champion.

CARLOS PRATES ON HOW HE WILL STOP ISLAM MAKHACHEV

In a recent exclusive sit-down with LowKick MMA, with the help of Squawka, “The Nightmare” was asked: “How do you dethrone Islam Makhachev?”

Prates said: “I think it’s not different from what I normally do.”

“Just working on the takedown defence, 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 won all of his UFC fights so far by knockout.

At UFC 336, he plans to finish the Morales fight the same way, as he also told LowKick MMA.

After that, he said he will send Makhachev to the shadow realm.

The Team Fighting Nerds member also said that once he becomes champion, he would be willing to run it back with Ian Machado Garry, the man who ended Prates’ undefeated UFC record in 2025.

THE UFC 336 SHAKE-UP

Prates was originally expected to challenge Makhachev for the undisputed welterweight championship at UFC 336 on January 30, 2027, in Toronto.

Instead, he will face Michael Morales for the interim title.

Carlos Prates’ manager, Lucas Lutkus, says Islam Makhachev declined a proposed January title defense against the Brazilian without explaining his decision to the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Speaking to MMA Fighting, Lutkus said the UFC had told Prates’ team to prepare for Makhachev and that the Brazilian immediately accepted.

“Islam said at the press conference that he wanted to fight before Ramadan,” Lutkus said.

“And the UFC had already told us that the plan was to have this fight at the first numbered event in January.”

“‘Get ready for that date.’”

Lutkus said the UFC later informed him that Makhachev would not be ready for January.

“The UFC called me last Tuesday and said, ‘Islam is out,’” Lutkus said.

“I asked if it was an injury, and they said Islam hadn’t given them a reason.”

“He had only said he wouldn’t be ready for January.”

The change caught Prates’ camp off guard, Lutkus said, particularly after Makhachev had publicly expressed a desire to fight before Ramadan and indicated that Prates deserved a title shot.

“I don’t think even the UFC really knows what happened,” Lutkus said.

“Anyway, something made him change his mind.”

“I’m not naive enough to think Islam Makhachev is afraid to fight Carlos Prates, but something made him change his mind.”

Lutkus also said the promotion was unhappy with Makhachev’s decision.

“The UFC doesn’t know either, and that’s why they were a little upset with Islam,” Lutkus said.

MAKHACHEV’S RECORD AND CURRENT STATUS

Makhachev has only lost once in MMA, a knockout defeat to Adriano Martins in 2016.

Since then, the Russian star has won 17 straight fights, establishing a new record for most consecutive victories in the UFC.

He currently holds both the lightweight and welterweight championships, making him a double champion and the pound-for-pound king.

Makhachev was also recently honored as a sambo ambassador alongside legendary fighter Fedor Emelianenko.

His manager has also named a Khamzat Chimaev match as a possible side quest away from the UFC.

CROSS-PROMOTIONAL INTEREST

Christian Lee, the reigning ONE Championship titleholder in two weight classes, has also expressed interest in fighting Makhachev.

Lee defends his welterweight title Friday in Thailand, where he battles jiu-jitsu wizard Tye Ruotolo in the main event of The Inner Circle 37.

Five years after saying he was the No. 1 lightweight in the world, topping even Khabib Nurmagomedov, Lee now puts himself over Nurmagomedov’s teammate and friend.

“I feel very confident that I’m the best fighter in the world across any organization,” Lee told MMA Fighting.

“My goal, if I could choose one fight, would be to fight Islam right now.”

“I’ll go for the welterweight belt.”

“He’s a double champ, lightweight and welterweight, just like me but in the UFC, and he’s proven.”

“He’s fought everyone, but he’s only fought everyone in the UFC.”

“He hasn’t fought people outside.”

“So if I could line up a cross-promotional fight, I would want the Islam welterweight fight right now.”

Lee has only tasted defeat once in his past 11 fights under the ONE banner, knocking out all but one of his opponents.

The secret to beat a legend like Makhachev, according to Lee, is to do to him what he’s used to doing against others.