Jean Silva Confident Carlos Prates Will Knock Out Islam Makhachev

Carlos Prates is slated to challenge UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev next, with the Brazilian stating that an agreement is in place with the promotion pending an official date and location. Prates secured his position as the division's top contender after scoring consecutive stoppage victories over former champions Leon Edwards and Jack Della Maddalena.

His Fighting Nerds teammate Jean Silva is fully confident in Prates' ability to bring the 170-pound belt back to Brazil. Speaking to MMA Fighting, Silva referenced Makhachev's recent title defense against Ian Machado Garry—following the Russian champion's dominant decision win over Maddalena to capture the belt—and explained why Prates presents a vastly different puzzle.

“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.”

Silva, who recently improved to 7-1 inside the Octagon after finishing Jose Delgado in September to move closer to a featherweight title shot, credited the Sao Paulo gym's methodical rise to rigorous study and preparation. He emphasized that the team's ongoing success is the product of deliberate planning and hard work rather than coincidence.