Carlos Prates sends Islam Makhachev a chilling ‘somebody is going to pay’ warning

Carlos Prates is ramping up his preparation for a UFC welterweight title shot against Islam Makhachev. The Brazilian knockout artist has emerged as the leading challenger to Makhachev's 170-pound crown following the Russian's first title defense against Ian Garry in August. Makhachev (29-1) has indicated he will return to action before Ramadan, targeting late 2026 or early 2027 for his second title defense.

With training already underway, Prates has sent a direct message to the champion via social media. "Yes, Makhachev… Whatever I'm going through here at this gym, somebody is going to pay for it," Prates said on Instagram Stories. "And guess who's going to pay? You!" The Brazilian (24-7) went further in a follow-up post, predicting he would improve Makhachev's record to 29-2, writing "Davai ['come on' in Russian] brother! 29-2!"

While the UFC has yet to officially confirm the matchup, all signs point toward Prates receiving the next welterweight title opportunity. The fighter's aggressive posturing reflects the confidence of a challenger preparing to dethrone a pound-for-pound elite fighter in the sport's deepest division.