Carlos Prates understands why Conor McGregor might not want to
fight him. | Getty/UFC
While there was no formal fight offered to him by the
UFC, Carlos
Prates believes there may have been talks within the promotion
about showdown with Conor
McGregor.
Last month, McGregor revealed that he had been offered a “no name”
for his next fight in a since-deleted post on social media.
‘I Wouldn’t Accept That Fight Either’
“I believe they did offer my name to McGregor and then he chickened
out and ran away because I’m a tough matchup, man,” Prates told
Laerte Viana in a translated interview (via Championship
Rounds). “The guy’s been inactive for five years, and it’s not even
in his weight class.
“Even though his last fights were at 170 [pounds], he’s not a
natural 170-pounder. I’m coming in with all the hype, knocking
everyone out, so if I were in his position, I wouldn’t accept that
fight either – no way. I think he probably wants to fight, I don’t
know, maybe a former champion or someone like that.”
Though Prates-McGregor rumors didn’t last long, however, as
The Fighting Nerds standout is slated to face former 170-pound
champion Jack
Della Maddalena in the UFC Perth
headliner on May 2. “The Nightmare” has been victorious in six of
his seven Octagon appearances and is coming off a second-round
knockout of Leon
Edwards at UFC 322 this past November.
McGregor, meanwhile, is simply teasing a return to action
“sometime this summer” after previously all but guaranteeing
that he would be part of the UFC’s highly-anticipated White House
event. The Dublin native hasn’t fought since breaking his leg in a
loss to Dustin
Poirier in July 2021.
🚨 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