Jean Silva believes Carlos Prates can knock out Islam Makhachev
The Fighting Nerds teammate is confident that Prates' knockout power will be a major advantage in a potential UFC welterweight title fight.
Jean Silva has no doubt that Carlos Prates has what it takes to defeat Islam Makhachev and become the UFC welterweight champion. The Brazilian is expected to challenge Makhachev for the title at UFC 336 in January, and Silva is confident that Prates' knockout power could make the difference in the matchup.
Jean Silva Sees Carlos Prates' Power as Key to Defeating Islam Makhachev
Silva trains alongside Prates at Fighting Nerds and knows firsthand the power of his teammate's strikes. Maybe that is one of the reasons he can visualize Prates emerging victorious against Makhachev.
In addition to that, after watching the Russian's performance against Ian Machado Garry, Silva saw how Makhachev could be vulnerable when trading strikes. The Russian defeated Garry by unanimous decision in August, but Silva does not expect him to be willing to exchange punches with Prates in the same way.
"He stood to trade with Ian Garry, because Ian Garry doesn't have the kind of knockout power that Prates has," Silva told MMA Fighting. "He's not going to stand and trade with Prates. That's a huge advantage for Carlos Prates, because he knows that the moment he lands his hand, the fight is over. It's five rounds. I doubt he can go five rounds without taking a big shot from Prates."
Prates has won his last three fights by stoppage, defeating former welterweight champions Leon Edwards and Jack Della Maddalena, as well as Geoff Neal. The Brazilian's striking power has been a key factor in his rise through the division.
Jean Silva Explains Fighting Nerds' Success
Silva also discussed the success of Fighting Nerds, which has produced several UFC contenders in recent years. The featherweight attributes the team's achievements to careful preparation and hard work rather than unexpected opportunities.
"It's about knowing that proper planning, within the realm of reality, works," Silva said. "It shows that the more people sit down and study, the more we can accomplish things that nobody has done before. It's pretty crazy to say that, but it's not a surprise like, 'Damn, we're going to fight for the belt.' We weren't just walking down the street and stumbled upon a million dollars. No, we worked to earn a million dollars. That's normal."
Although the UFC has yet to make an official announcement, Prates and Makhachev have been linked to a potential UFC 336 headliner, with the welterweight title on the line.
