The rumors surrounding Conor McGregor’s opponent for his potential fight on the White House card have been swirling like crazy in recent weeks, and now welterweight contender Carlos Prates is the most recent to be mentioned.
Currently ranked No. 5 in the welterweight division, Carlos Prates carries a UFC record of 6-1. His most recent victory came by way of a devastating knockout of former 170-pound champion Leon Edwards last November.
Of course, McGregor has not fought since his second straight loss to Dustin Poirier in 2021, in which he suffered a broken ankle that led to him being sidelined to this day. McGregor had a planned and on the books fight for June 2024 versus Michael Chandler, following their appearance on that year’s season of The Ultimate Fighter, but the match fell apart when the Irishman pulled out with a toe injury weeks before the fight.
In a recent social media post, Prates touched on the rumored fight and suggested that it would not be a good idea as a matchup for McGregor. That being said, he is honored to be mentioned in the discussion for a fight with such a high-profile name.
View this post on Instagram
“A lot of you guys have been asking me about the Conor McGregor fight,” Prates said on Instagram. “I [haven’t] got anything from UFC yet. I’m really happy you guys are saying my name. Of course, it would be a huge honor for me to fight against him.
“I really want the fight that’s going to bring me the title shot. [Jack Della Maddalena], Conor McGregor — to be honest that fight is hard to happen because Conor McGregor is five years without any fights. Retired [from] MMA. After five years, he wouldn’t be back to fight against the most entertaining welterweight in the world.”
“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.
“I’m waiting for the UFC to send me something, any name, any place, I’m just ready to fight. But of course, I want the title shot. So JDM, Conor McGregor, let’s work.”
(h/t MMAFighting.com)