Islam Makhachev cites Ian Garry win after Carlos Prates brands him a coward
Carlos Prates will fight Michael Morales for the interim UFC welterweight title on 30 January. Champion Islam Makhachev hit back by pointing to his win over Ian Machado Garry, the only man to beat Prates in the UFC.
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Carlos Prates has called Islam Makhachev a coward and vowed to retire the welterweight champion after Makhachev told the UFC he would not be ready to fight at UFC 336 in Toronto.
Prates had been in talks with the promotion to face Makhachev for the title in Canada. Instead, the UFC announced on Saturday that the Brazilian will meet Michael Morales for the interim belt on 30 January.
Prates has won his last three UFC fights by knockout and has finished all seven of his UFC wins. Morales is unbeaten as a professional, with 19 straight wins, seven of them in the UFC.
Shortly after the announcement, Prates wrote in Portuguese: “Islam Makhachev, I’ve been working toward my dream of becoming a champion for 17 years, and now you’ve postponed that.” He described himself as the No. 1 contender, said he had knocked out two former champions and argued that Morales had beaten only Sean Brady. Prates also questioned how a champion who does not drink, smoke or party could not prepare for a fight in three months, before adding: “On January 30, I’m going to knock out Michael Morales, and then I’ll be back to retire you, you coward!” Makhachev replied by pointing to his recent victory over Ian Machado Garry, the only fighter to have beaten Prates in the UFC. Makhachev wrote: “I just beat the guy who chased you around the octagon for five rounds.”
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The champion told Prates to go and train, said he was not on his level and, in further posts, said he would return once the real contender had been decided.
UFC 336 takes place at the Scotiabank Arena, where Joshua Van defends his flyweight title against Manel Kape in the main event.
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