UFC welterweight contender Carlos Prates claims Conor McGregor was floated the idea of a fight between the pair, but the Irishman turned it down.
Prates most recently found victory over former 170-pound champion Leon Edwards with a second-round knockout last November. Now, with a 6-1 record within the promotion, coupled with the exciting nature of his pinpoint-accurate striking style, his name is coming up alongside some of the biggest in the business.
Rumors of a potential McGregor-Prates matchup surfaced last month, with Prates posting to social media on the subject, declaring that this fight would not be in the former two-division titleholder’s best interest.
“Nothing against him but everybody knows, I know, he knows I would hurt him bad,” Prates said. “I would knock him out. I don’t think it’s the right way to make a comeback for a superstar like him. But if he wants a fight, I’m here, I’m ready. Let’s see.
Fast forward to this week, Prates feels like McGregor had the same idea in mind, as he heard that McGregor turned down the fight when it was offered to him by the UFC matchmakers. McGregor has not competed in the UFC since 2021 when he suffered a broken leg in the first round of his trilogy match with Dustin Poirier. He had a fight on the books in 2024 to face Michael Chandler after the pair coached opposite one another on The Ultimate Fighter, but he was forced out with another injury.
🚨 Carlos Prates says he heard his name was offered to Conor McGregor and McGregor turned it down 😳
“He chickened out and ran away… because I’m a tough matchup, man. The guy’s been inactive for 5 years, and it’s not even in his weight class. I’m coming in with all the hype,… pic.twitter.com/Bh8HmCICjs
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 4, 2026