Carlos Prates isn't waiting around for the UFC to make his next fight official. The number two ranked welterweight put out a fresh callout aimed at champion Islam Makhachev, labeling himself 'wrestling's worst nightmare' and making clear he believes he's the man built to end the champ's reign.

Makhachev is one title defense into his run atop 170 pounds, having most recently taken a unanimous decision over Ian Machado Garry on August 15 at UFC 330. Prates, meanwhile, has been nothing short of destructive, stopping former champion Jack Della Maddalena with elbows in the third round on May 2 to cement his case as the top contender.

Not everyone is buying the matchup as a toss up. It's a notable jab given Covington's own history chasing welterweight gold, and it puts him squarely on the side of Makhachev's wrestling erasing whatever power advantage Prates brings into the cage.

The numbers suggest this one is tighter than Covington is selling it. Our Elo model has Makhachev at 1629 built off seven bouts and Prates right behind him at 1620 across nine, about as close as it gets between a champion and his top challenger. Nothing has been confirmed by the UFC, but with Prates calling for the fight publicly and Covington stirring the pot on a major podcast, the pressure is building for the promotion to make Makhachev versus Prates official. If it happens, it would pit the champion's grappling pedigree against the heaviest hands currently sitting in the welterweight rankings.