Carlos Prates has delivered a brutal warning to Ilia Topuria over a potential move to welterweight, claiming the former UFC lightweight champion would struggle against the division’s bigger hitters.
Speaking to The Fight Fanatic, Prates dismissed the idea of facing Topuria at 170 pounds and questioned how the Spaniard would cope with the size and power difference.
“He was going to d*e, bro… imagine him fighting me, imagine him fighting Morales. It’s not happening, bro.”
“Topuria can punch, but there’s a huge difference in size and power. If he gets touched, he’s going down.”
Check Carlos Prates’ comments about Ilia Topuria below:
Carlos Prates Doubts Ilia Topuria’s Power at 170
Ilia Topuria has established himself as one of the UFC’s most dangerous knockout artists, but Prates believes his power would not carry over in the same way against naturally larger welterweights.
The Brazilian’s comments come amid previous speculation surrounding Topuria’s interest in eventually moving up to welterweight.
‘El Matador‘ had previously expressed interest in competing at 170 pounds, with a potential superfight against then-lightweight champion Islam Makhachev emerging as one of the most intriguing possibilities.
That scenario, however, never materialized.
Topuria’s Makhachev Plans Fell Apart
Ilia Topuria targeted Islam Makhachev while Makhachev was still reigning lightweight champion. However, instead of meeting Topuria at 155 pounds, Makhachev ultimately moved up to welterweight in pursuit of another UFC title.
The move effectively ended the possibility of the two champions colliding at lightweight and opened the door for a potential meeting at 170 pounds further down the line.
The Georgian-Spaniard’s own plans subsequently suffered another setback when Justin Gaethje defeated him to become the UFC lightweight champion.
That loss left Topuria needing to rebuild his position in the lightweight division rather than immediately pursuing a second-division title opportunity.
For now, Prates believes Topuria should think twice before testing himself against established welterweights.
The Brazilian’s warning adds another layer to the ongoing debate over whether Topuria can carry his devastating finishing ability into a division where the physical advantages of larger fighters become significantly more pronounced.
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