Carlos Prates isn't holding back after learning his welterweight title shot against Islam Makhachev got scrapped. Multiple outlets report the champion pulled out of a planned January 30 defense at UFC 336, pointing to the crowded contender picture at 170 pounds as his reasoning. That left Prates, who was already deep into camp, looking for a new dance partner.
He found one in Michael Morales, and the UFC now has Prates and Morales fighting for the interim welterweight title on the same card. 'Hunter [Campbell] even said that date was reserved for him. Then he just came out and said he didn't want it. He chickened out,' he said. He admitted he was pissed off about the switch, though he said Morales will now pay the price for it.
The numbers back up why Prates was expecting a real crack at gold. Prates arrives off a finish of Jack Della Maddalena. Sportsbooks have him favored at minus 159 over Morales's plus 145, and our model leans the same way, giving Prates a 59 percent edge in what projects as a tight fight.
The fallout has fans buzzing too, with a thread on r/MMA already digging into Prates calling Makhachev a coward for ducking the January date.