Carlos Prates, a fighter from Team Fighting Nerds, has hinted at a potential move to the 155-pound division.
The No. 5 ranked welterweight contender is scheduled to face former champion Jack Della Maddalena in the main event of UFC Perth this weekend.
“The Nightmare” intends to secure another knockout victory against a former champion, and then set his sights on the welterweight championship held by Islam Makhachev.
Makhachev is anticipated to make his first title defense in August against Ian Machado Garry. Prates is hoping for “The Future” to defeat the Russian champion. Following that, Prates envisions a rematch with the Irishman in Brazil.
Carlos Prates Teases a Move to 155 Pounds If Ilia Topuria Gets a Shot at Islam Makhachev
If lightweight champion Ilia Topuria decides to move up to welterweight for a superfight with Islam Makhachev after his bout against Justin Gaethje on June 14th, and Prates is overlooked for a 170-pound championship opportunity, he has expressed an interest in dropping to 155 pounds to compete for the UFC lightweight title.
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Carlos Prates stated:
“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 winning streak, having knocked out both of his last two opponents. “The Nightmare” has only one loss on his UFC record, which was against Ian Machado Garry in 2025.
