Welterweight contender Carlos Prates, currently ranked No. 5 in the division, has playfully hinted at a potential drop to the lightweight division.
“The Nightmare” is slated to face former champion Jack Della Maddalena in the main event of UFC Perth this weekend. Prates aims to secure another knockout victory and then set his sights on the welterweight championship. However, he also addressed the possibility of a significant shift in the welterweight landscape.
With rumors circulating about a potential superfight between current lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, Prates expressed his intentions should he be bypassed for a title shot. He stated in a recent interview with MMA Fighting:
“Then I’ll move down to lightweight and fight for the lightweight belt. I can make 155. But I’m kidding. I don’t want to diet that much anymore. We’ll see. I’m not really thinking about that right now, but let’s see if it happens.”
Prates is currently on a two-fight win streak, with both victories coming by knockout. His sole loss in the UFC was against Ian Machado Garry in 2025.
