Carlos Prates could be one fight away from a title shot, but first, he has to get past a former champion on his home soil.
In the main event of UFC Fight Night 275 in Perth, Australia, Prates (23-7 MMA, 6-1 UFC) faces Jack Della Maddalena in a big welterweight bout that has Fight of the Night bonus potential written all over it. Della Maddalena (18-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) returns to the octagon for the first time since losing his title to Islam Makhachev at UFC 322, so he’ll be hungry to put on a solid performance in his home country.
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This will be Prates’ second trip to RAC Arena. His first was at UFC 305, where he picked up a Performance of the Night bonus for his knockout of Li Jingliang at UFC 305. That was his third UFC win, and a finish that put a bigger spotlight on him as a true contender. Prates hopes to remain undefeated in Perth.
“Yeah, it’s gonna be cool, you know? I have good memories in that arena,” Prates told MMA Junkie. “I have a bonus already there, and I hope to get another one.”
Prates has been one of the most exciting finishers on the roster since his signing through Dana White’s Contender Series. All of his six wins have come by finish no later than Round 2 – and they each earned a bonus. Della Maddalena hasn’t been finished in a decade, and has five stoppage wins in the UFC himself. Something will have to give when the cage door shuts, but Prates certainly doesn’t see the fight reaching the judges’ scorecards.
“I don’t think the fight’s gonna go five rounds, but if it’s there, I’m gonna be ready,” Prates said. “I’m ready for everything.”
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In the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie welterweight rankings, Della Maddalena holds the No. 2 spot, while Prates is lurking closely at No. 6. A win for the Brazilian could put him in position for a title shot next, but Prates wants to wait to see how a heavily rumored title fight plays out between Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) and the only person to hang a loss on him in the UFC, Ian Machado Garry.
Last April, Machado Garry (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) proved to be just a step above Prates in their UFC on ESPN 66 main event bout. It was the first time Prates went to the scorecards since 2019, and it’s a fight he’s eager to get back.
So, if Makhachev and Machado Garry is indeed the next welterweight title fight and he gets past Della Maddalena, Prates will be ready to claim his title shot, as he believes he would have done enough with a three-fight winning streak that would include Geoff Neal and former champion Leon Edwards.
“Nobody gonna beat two former champs in a row, and for sure I will be the next,” Prates said. “… I mean, I will be the next after August. Islam gonna fight Ian, and then after that, I’m gonna get the winner.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Carlos Prates eyes title shot if successful vs. Jack Della Maddalena
