TLDR
- Colby Covington believes Islam Makhachev would easily submit Carlos Prates if they fight next
- Covington called the potential matchup the ‘easiest fight’ of Makhachev’s career due to his wrestling advantage
- Covington criticized Prates for smoking cigarettes and said he needs to quit to become a legitimate champion
- Makhachev recently defended his welterweight title for the first time against Ian Garry
- Covington also predicted Jordan Burroughs would tech-fall Makhachev in a freestyle wrestling match
Sources: mmasucka.com
Colby Covington has shared his prediction for a potential fight between Islam Makhachev and Carlos Prates, saying the welterweight champion would dominate without much effort.
Covington spoke with Ariel Helwani about Makhachev’s next possible opponent and dismissed Prates as a real threat to the Dagestani fighter. He believes Makhachev’s wrestling skills are far superior to what Prates can handle.
Carlos Prates calls out Islam Makhachev and says he's "wrestling's worst nightmare" 👀 pic.twitter.com/szwwsoNjxr
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 9, 2026
Makhachev recently defended his welterweight belt for the first time with a victory over Ian Garry. Several top contenders are now being discussed as potential next opponents, including Carlos Prates, Michael Morales, and Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Covington Predicts Easy Submission Win for Makhachev
Some fans and analysts have suggested that Prates has the striking power to knock out Makhachev. Covington strongly disagreed with that assessment during his interview.
“Nah, no chance, bro. Carlos has nothing for him,” Covington told Helwani. “He’s just a straight striker. That’s going to be the easiest fight of Makhachev’s career.”
Covington predicted that Makhachev would take Prates down and submit him quickly. He said the champion wouldn’t even break a sweat in the process.
The former interim welterweight champion also took aim at Prates’ lifestyle choices. Covington criticized the Brazilian fighter for smoking cigarettes and said it would prevent him from reaching the top.
“He needs to quit smoking cigarettes if he ever wants to be a legitimate champion,” Covington said.
Covington emphasized that Prates relies too heavily on striking and lacks the grappling skills needed to defend against Makhachev’s wrestling. He believes this mismatch would make the fight one-sided from the start.
Covington Comments on Makhachev’s Wrestling Ability
While Covington praised Makhachev’s wrestling in the context of MMA, he also shared his thoughts on how the champion would fare in pure wrestling competition. He believes American wrestler Jordan Burroughs would beat Makhachev easily in a freestyle wrestling match.
“In freestyle wrestling, Makhachev has no chance, you know?” Covington said. “Burroughs is going to tech-fall him. It’s just going to be an easy match.”
Covington explained that Makhachev has spent the last 20 to 25 years focusing on mixed martial arts rather than traditional freestyle wrestling. He pointed out that MMA is a very different discipline from pure wrestling.
A technical fall in wrestling occurs when one competitor builds a large point lead over their opponent. Covington’s prediction suggests he believes Burroughs would dominate Makhachev completely in that setting.
Fans are now watching to see if Makhachev would ever compete in Real American Fighting (RAF), where several other MMA stars have already participated. The promotion focuses on wrestling-based competitions separate from traditional MMA.
Covington’s comments highlight his belief that Makhachev’s wrestling is elite within the world of MMA but would face a different level of challenge in pure wrestling competition. The promotion has not announced Makhachev’s next opponent yet, and it remains unclear if Prates will get the title shot.
