Carlos Prates Believes Knocking Out Jack Della Maddalena Secures UFC Title Shot

Carlos Prates and Jack Della Maddalena (Photo by Imagn)

Carlos Prates Believes Knocking Out Jack Della Maddalena Secures UFC Title Shot

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Pavan Sharma | Last updated Apr 14, 2026 3:13 PM ET

Carlos Prates isn’t thinking about May 2 in isolation. He’s thinking about what comes after. The Brazilian knockout artist returns to the octagon on May 2 against Jack Della Maddalena. It will be the second time he has faced a former UFC welterweight champion, another name that carries real weight at 170 pounds. Subsequently, he wants a title shot right after.

Prates already has Leon Edwards on his record. If he gets through Della Maddalena and does it the way he intends to, he believes the math becomes impossible to ignore. The title picture itself adds another layer to his thinking. With Ian ‘Machado’ Garry possibly facing Islam Makhachev for the welterweight belt, Prates is content to let that play out first.

“I think that beating a former champion for the second time in a row, and by knockout, will lock in the title shot…Come on, who else is there? Is [Michael] Morales going to fight? How? In what way? There’s no way. He’s never beaten a former champion. The kid is undefeated, he’s good, but there’s no way…I’d rather let Ian Garry fight and then we’ll see what happens, and I fight later,” Prates said.

Carlos Prates reveals UFC title fight ‘plan’ with Ian Machado Garry:

"He called me about three weeks ago and we have a plan: I beat Maddalena, he beats Makhachev, and then we do our rematch here in Brazil."

( @guicruzzz) pic.twitter.com/vbzxEs6rp4
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) April 14, 2026

Two former champions. Two finishes, if he gets his way on May 2. At that point, the UFC would need a very convincing argument to keep him waiting any longer. JDM won’t make it easy. He is physical, powerful, and has shown the ability to hurt people at welterweight. But Prates has built his entire run on walking into those kinds of fights and walking out with a finish anyway.

Jack Della Maddalena Backs Himself To Outclass Carlos Prates

Maddalena spoke with confidence about a possible fight with Carlos Prates. He said Prates is popular with fans because of his exciting style and striking. But he also believes he has better skills overall. JDM feels he can beat Prates and look better than him in the fight.

“He’s a fan favorite for good reason. He’s an exciting guy. Good striking battle against two of the top contenders. I feel like I’ve got the skillset to beat him. I feel like I can outclass him,” JDM said.

Jack Della Maddalena believes he can outclass Carlos Prates

"He's a fan favorite for good reason. He's an exciting guy. Good striking battle against two of the top contenders. I feel like I've got the skillset to beat him. I feel like I can outclass him."

(Via:… pic.twitter.com/1bmvMPAaTJ
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) March 27, 2026

There is no doubt that both fighters are just one big moment away from getting a title shot. Della Maddalena vs. Prates on May 2 feels like the next big chapter. For both men, a title shot is already on their minds.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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