About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Uros Medic sees Carlos Prates' momentum continuing at UFC 336.
With Makhachev (29-1 MMA, 18-1 UFC) opting not to defend his belt at UFC 336 , Prates (24-7 MMA, 7-1 UFC) will meet Michael Morales (19-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) for the interim title in the Jan. 30 co-main event at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto ( Paramount+ ).
Medic explains why he sees betting favorite Prates getting the job done.
"I think Prates is going to win this fight," Medic told MMA Junkie Radio. "Morales has been a size and weight bully. He's about to meet somebody who's approximately his size and length. I think he's going to win, but it's a very exciting matchup. They're both amazing prospects and both probably possible champions. I'll just pick Prates. I'd like to see him win. I'd like to see him get the belt, and I'd also like to fight him at some point, if not for the belt, then at some point of our careers."
Medic (14-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) aims to extend his winning streak to five when he takes on Kevin Holland (29-15 MMA, 16-12 UFC) on the UFC 334 main card Nov. 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York ( Paramount+ ). While he's still a welterweight on the rise, he hopes Makhachev makes a decision about his future sooner rather than later.
"No, it's not OK to hold back the division, but then again, nobody has been able to come close to taking the belt away from him in this division," Medic said of Makhachev. "So I get it, but then again, he says, 'Oh, I'm going to fight later in the year,' but who guarantees that? Who's to say that you're not going to get hurt? Who's to say that you're not going to have other personal stuff going on? Nobody can know that. We can just hope that you're going to want to fight. But at that point, it's already been a year since your last fight and guys are waiting. You're holding back the division.
"Obviously, it's not my place and time to get involved in any of this. I have a job to do that's in front of me. When I get closer to the belt, then I'm going to voice myself, and by that time, I think he might even consider retirement. He might be done. He might just say one more fight and I beat this guy, and then I'm done. I do understand him not wanting to fight a guy that lost to a previous title challenger. But then again, MMA math doesn't work that way. So if he wants to do the MMA math, that's fine with me – but I wouldn't."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Uros Medic: Carlos Prates beats 'weight bully' Michael Morales at UFC 336
Source: Sports
