Overview
- On Wednesday, May 20, Prates told Ariel Helwani he spoke with UFC officials and believes he will be the next fighter to face the winner of a rumored Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Machado Garry title fight.
- Prates said he will wait for that title shot rather than take interim fights and that, if he becomes champion, he would publicly call for Ilia Topuria to move up to 170 pounds for a superfight.
- Topuria is confirmed to defend the lightweight title against Justin Gaethje on June 14 at the UFC White House card, a result that would directly affect whether he would pursue a move to welterweight.
- Other contenders and signals from the roster complicate Prates’s certainty: Michael Morales posted a social message implying he could be booked for the August title card and Makhachev’s historically slow activity leaves timing unclear.
- Prates has also revealed chronic pain and a planned retirement window in his mid‑30s, a reality that sharpens the stakes of waiting for a title shot and could affect his availability if the UFC’s bookings shift.