Carlos Prates Claims to be Islam Makhachev's "Worst Nightmare" in Drunk Callout

After a brutal 25-minute sprint by Ian Garry failed to dethrone Islam Makhachev at UFC 330, two contenders have put their best foot forward. Michael Morales and Carlos Prates. The latter, however, believes that he might be the Dagestani's biggest threat yet. 

Carlos Prates Believes He Can Punctuate Islam Makhachev's Wrestling

In a recent post on social media, Carlos Prates boldly called out welterweight king Islam Makhachev with a stern warning. 'The Nightmare' was apparently drinking with his coach, Eric Albarracin, when the challenge arrived.

“Wrestling’s worst nightmare,” Prates claimed enthusiastically. 

Albarracin gave his nod of approval, adding: 

“He smokes American cigarettes, he drinks Irish whiskey, he breaks women’s hearts, and he’s coming to dethrone the pound-for-pound king!”

Carlos Prates calls out Islam Makhachev and says he's "wrestling's worst nightmare" 👀 https://t.co/szwwsoNjxr

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 9, 2026

This confidence doesn't come from a whim, however. The No. 1 contender is a lethal southpaw striker, building a reputation for his one-punch knockout power. And one such notable moment is all Prates needs to turn the tide in a potential clash with Makhachev. 

In fact, all of the Brazilian's victories in the promotion have come via KO/TKO, with a sole outlier against Ian Machado Garry. The Irishman also defeated Michael Morales for his first title shot at UFC 330. 

That said, Carlos Prates' threat cannot be ignored, and Makhachev's coach himself agrees.

Islam Makhachev's Coach Cautious of Carlos Prates

Islam Makhachev made a show-stopping welterweight debut against Jack Della Maddalena, dominating him over five rounds. Ian Garry, however, gave the UFC champion a harder time, and the Dagestani was visibly battered by the end of that fight, which tested him thoroughly. 

His coach, Javier Mendez, however, believes that one of the most dangerous fighters might still be around the corner. In a pre-UFC 330 interview with GiveMeSport, Javier Mendez shared his assessment on the welterweight division.

“He is the more skillful of the two (Morales and Prates). Morales is stronger and probably hungrier, but he’s more reckless, so we just have to watch out for the haymakers with him.

“But Prates would be the next more dangerous guy. I feel he is more polished with his striking ability and using his height right. He may not have the striking edge or the grappling edge, but he is strong. He’s very strong."

He even compared the Brazilian to a young lion, acknowledging the hazard Prates presents. While both Mendez and Makhachev remain confident in their ability to run through the entire welterweight division, neither Prates nor Morales will make that spell easy.