Why Dana White Shouldn’t Have Ditched Brazilian Fans for Leon Edwards vs. Carlos Prates at UFC 322

UFC president Dana White has finally unveiled this year’s marquee event: the annual Madison Square Garden card, UFC 322. As expected, the stacked fight card will feature blockbuster matchups, headlined by Islam Makhachev, who will make his welterweight debut against reigning champion Jack Della Maddalena in a battle set to shape the future of the division on November 15. Meanwhile, the card also highlights another key welterweight clash: former champion Leon Edwards will face rising prospect Carlos Prates.

For the Brit, life has been challenging since losing his title to Belal Muhammad last year in front of his home crowd. He then returned in March against Sean Brady but fell victim to Brady’s signature guillotine choke, leaving him 0-2 in his last two outings. Meanwhile, Carlos Prates enters the Octagon riding momentum from a first-round knockout win over veteran Geoff Neal. However, a five-round showdown against Irish prospect Ian Machado Garry in April exposed vulnerabilities that Leon Edwards could exploit.

This Edwards vs. Prates matchup raises questions about card structure: Does featuring another welterweight fight at Madison Square Garden make sense, or would UFC have served fans better by placing ‘The Nightmare’ on its October 11 return to Brazil, where he could’ve headlined a stronger local card in front of his home crowd as was his wish?

Wouldn’t a Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad rematch have been better?

Rank-four welterweight Leon Edwards has been a standout in the division since dethroning Kamaru Usman at UFC 278 in their rematch. In that fight, ‘Rocky’ not only ended Usman’s 15-fight winning streak in the UFC but also claimed the belt from one of the most dominant welterweights of the modern era. The Englishman cemented his status in an immediate rematch and later defended his title against Colby Covington. However, his third title defense against Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 ended badly. Their first encounter, at UFC Fight Night 187 on March 13, 2021, ended in a no-contest due to an accidental eye poke by Leon Edwards, leaving him with a 0-1-1 record against Muhammad.

With that rivalry still unresolved, Dana White and the UFC could’ve booked a trilogy showdown between Edwards and Muhammad at UFC 322, instead of a matchup against Carlos Prates. When asked if he actually wants to fight Leon Edwards at the upcoming UFC event in Rio, Prates firmly said, “Yeah, it’s what I want. There are two things I want: fighting in Brazil [at UFC Rio] or fighting against Leon [Edwards]. If they both happen in Brazil, that would be amazing.”

However, UFC matchmakers appear to have a different strategy in mind by shifting the Brazilian and Brit to the New York card. This move leaves a gap in the UFC’s Brazilian showcase, now relying solely on Charles Oliveira as the marquee attraction. Including Carlos Prates on the Rio card would’ve elevated the excitement for the crowd and fully leveraged his growing popularity among fans, especially in light of his first-round knockout win over veteran Geoff Neal at UFC 319 earlier this month. As the UFC returns to Brazil in October, ‘Do Bronxs’ will headline the card against Rafael Fiziev, joined by several other Brazilian athletes, alas without Carlos Prates. With a Brazil event not until late next year, the Las Vegas-based promotion is missing out on having a major attraction in hand for the fans in Brazil.

But if UFC had finalized Leon Edwards for a Belal Muhammad rematch and moved Carlos Prates up to UFC Fight Night 261, who would he have fought there?

A better matchup for Carlos Prates, maybe?

When Carlos Prates burst onto the scene through DWCS in 2023, fans set sky-high expectations for the Brazilian standout. A major factor was Prates’ gym, Fighting Nerds—a respected Brazilian facility that has produced multiple UFC talents. The gym has launched fighters like Caio Borralho, Jean Silva, and Maurício Ruffy, all known for their aggressive, well-rounded fighting styles. This year, however, Brazilian fighters have struggled to leave a mark in the main event in the UFC, combining for a disappointing 1-10 record in 2025.

Light heavyweight contender Johnny Walker secured a win over Zhang Mingyang at UFC China, ending the curse. However, others—including Diego Lopes, Carlos Prates, Deiveson Figueiredo, Gilbert Burns, and Alex Pereira—all fell short. So, having Carlos Prates at UFC Rio, maybe as a co-main event, would have given it a redemption arc, with Deiveson Figueiredo and Charles Oliveira already part of the event.

If Prates loses to Edwards at UFC 322, it could disrupt Prates’ momentum and stall his rise in the promotion. Instead, a matchup against undefeated No. 7 welterweight Michael Morales, who carries Ecuadorian and Mexican roots, could’ve helped generate significant buzz for the Fighting Nerds prospect. This move could have helped him grow a bit more in the organization instead of a fight against a former champion of Leon Edwards’ caliber.

While not officially framed as a national rivalry, the bout between Prates and Morales could’ve tapped into MMA pride and cultural traditions, especially since the UFC only visits Brazil once a year. A clash between Carlos Prates and Michael Morales would’ve blended star power, national pride, and elite welterweight competition, making it a must-watch fight for fans and analysts alike. But alas, that’s not what happened.

Where do Prates and Leon Edwards stand in the race for a future UFC title?

At UFC 322, the clash between Leon Edwards and Carlos Prates could significantly shake up the welterweight division, though a clear path to victory for either fighter remains uncertain. ‘Rocky,’ currently ranked No. 4, enters the bout on the back of two consecutive losses, while Prates sits at No. 9, having recently fallen to a top-five opponent in April.

A win for Edwards would bolster his case for a future title shot, particularly if he continues to topple other top-five contenders. Should he defeat Prates, potential next matchups could include a rematch with Belal Muhammad, Sean Brady, or a high-stakes showdown with Kazakh standout Shavkat Rakhmonov. Even with a victory over Prates, Edwards would likely need another decisive win to cement his path to the championship and reestablish himself among the division’s elite.

However, in contrast, a victory over Leon Edwards at UFC Rio would’ve been a career-defining moment for Carlos Prates, propelling him up the rankings and potentially into the welterweight top five. While Charles Oliveira remains Brazil’s premier MMA star, UFC Fight Night 261 could’ve helped establish the next generation of Brazilian stars in the UFC, and with Prates as part of the event, it would have given the promotion a chance to see if the 32-year-old is truly the prospect everyone expects him to be. Though an immediate title shot isn’t guaranteed, such a win would position Prates for bigger opportunities in the division. This would have better served Brazilian fans if the fight had been part of the event in Rio.

It remains too early to predict exactly how this matchup will shape the welterweight title picture, but one thing is clear: the winner will emerge with momentum and renewed relevance in one of the UFC’s most competitive divisions. Though the fans in Brazil will miss out on seeing a great hometown fighter in Carlos Prates, live in action.