UFC Perth headliner, there remains a logjam in the welterweight
title picture.
In an effort to separate himself from the crowded pack of
contenders at 170 pounds, Prates annihilated former champ Jack
Della Maddalena in the third round of a fairly one-sided
beating. “The Nightmare” dropped the Aussie once in the second
round and twice in the third to complete his rout, one that saw him
outland his foe by 46 to 1 in
the last round of their collision.
The victor wants nothing else than a Ultimate Fighting Championship championship
pairing, but he might have to wait. Rumors are swirling, with
Prates the originator of at least one, that Ian Garry
will be challenging Islam
Makhachev for the belt at UFC 330 in August. Additional options
for contention include Michael
Morales, Sean Brady,
Ilia
Topuria should he get past Justin
Gaethje in June. Kamaru
Usman was even floated as a potential option to face Makhachev
next.
While Morales (19-0) considered himself in the race until recently,
he has seemingly accepted that Garry may be ahead of him in line.
Posting on his Instagram
Stories on Sunday, the undefeated Ecuadorian shared a composite
matchup image of himself against Prates.
Not everyone is sold on that pairing, chiefly Prates himself.
Saying so at the UFC Perth post-fight press conference, Prates
remarked that when not preparing for a fight, he likes to party and
let himself go for a few months. His team wishes he would change
his plan, but this means short turnarounds for the Brazilian are
largely off the table. He suggested that he would be much more
willing to wait for a championship bout than face Morales, even if
it means he sits on the shelf for a while. Should Makhachev-Garry
take place in August, based on championship schedules, the next
welterweight title tilt may not take place until the end of the
year or even early 2027.