“Islam is much better than Belal Muhammad” - UFC welterweight fighter comments on Islam Makhachev's potential move up to the 170 lbs division

• Carlos Prates is all prepared to face Ian Garry at UFC Fight Night on April 27, 2025
• Belal Muhammad might vacate his welterweight championship if Islam Makhachev moves up to the welterweight division
• Prates praises Makhachev as a better fighter than Muhammad

UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has been in talks with the promotion for a move up to the welterweight division with an aim to achieve the status of two-weight division champion . While this has instigated significant debates among the fan community of the sport owing to Belal Muhammad’s relation with the Dagestani fighter, welterweight top contender Carlos Prates, ahead of his fight night against Ian Garry, commented on the probable move up of Makhachev in a recent interview with MMA Today.
Carlos Prates praises both Islam Makhachev and Belal Muhammad for their respective skills in the OctagonIslam Makhachev shares a close bond with the current welterweight champion, Belal Muhammad. Muhammad, prioritizing his relationship with the Dagestani fighter, even went ahead to state in an interview with Barstool Sports Chicago that he would vacate the title in order to avoid a fight with Makhachev. While the move up has not been officially announced yet, fighters across different weight divisions in the promotion has commented on the rumor and the recent addition to the list is one of the top welterweight contenders, Carlos Prates.

Carlos Prates is all geared up for his Fight Night bout against Ian Garry, after the former’s cancelled bout at UFC 314. In his interview with MMA Today, when the fighter was asked about a possible bout with Makhachev in a scenario if the move up happens, Prates responded on a positive note.


“You know, I fight anyone, you know. I’m a fighter.” the fighter stated, “I like to fight. But, it’s gonna be a tough, you know, it’s gonna be a hard fight, because I think Islam is much better than Belal Muhammad, you know. Better saying, I don’t know if he’s better fighter. But it is much more harder to win the fight against Makhachev than Belal Muhammad, you know. Because he’s good on the striking, good on the ground.” Prates even praised Muhammad for his skills, “I think Muhammad’s mind, also mindset is really good. He’s just keep it going, keep it going. He never give up. But it is what it is, you know. When I going to fight for the belt, I don’t care who is a champ, who is gonna be a champ. I just going to step on the cage, I’m gonna beat him up, and gonna become a UFC welterweight champ.”

In the end, the fighter predicted the highly anticipated UFC 315 headliner event between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena .

“And about Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena, I think Belal gonna win, same way everybody think”

Also read: Former welterweight champion exposes his relationship with Dana White’s UFC while shedding light on Robbie Lawler’s Hall of Fame induction

While Khabib Nurmagomedov denied the possible move up of Islam Makhachev from lightweight to welterweight, rumors are still afloat regarding Makhachev’s decision. Several fighters have commented on how this might result in a conflict between two friends for a championship title, Muhammad has already stated about him vacating the title if Makhachev ever confirms his moving up the weight division.