Overview
- UFC and Conor McGregor briefly explored a matchup with Carlos Prates, according to Ariel Helwani, but discussions stayed preliminary and produced no deal.
- Carlos Prates is officially booked to face Jack Della Maddalena on May 2 in Perth in a bout widely framed as a welterweight title eliminator.
- Prates told Helwani he prefers Della Maddalena because it advances his championship ambitions, adding that a win should make him next for the belt.
- Riding a 6-1 UFC mark, Prates has finished all six victories and is coming off knockouts of Geoff Neal and former champion Leon Edwards.
- McGregor has not competed since 2021, and Prates questioned whether accepting a fight after such a layoff would be a smart move for the Irish star.