Morales and Ian Garry loses and I knock out Edwards, I strongly believe I’ll be next for the belt.”
Prates’s Preparation and Strategy
Prates is known for his ferocious striking style and is not afraid to take on any opponent. He believes that his approach sets him apart from other fighters in the division. “The impression I’ve been getting is that guys watch my fights and they have a different impression, and when they’re actually fighting me they see it’s not what they thought,” Prates explained.
He continued, “I’m a guy who always likes to be evolving, I always like to test new things, new angles to strike, different ways to defend. Although my game is always the same, trading strikes and defending takedowns, I’m training.
I’m training with Caio Borralho, who is one of the guys who’s helped me most for this camp. I’m training a lot of ground work, a lot of takedowns, taking people down and defending. I’m prepared for everything — and being prepared for everything lets me unleash my striking even more.”
Edwards’s Approach to the Fight
Prates also provided insights into his opponent Leon Edwards. “He’ll play that safe game he always does, throwing jabs, jabs and feint and not exposing himself much,” Prates said about Edwards. “I think he’ll try to take me down late in the round to win the decision.” He noted that Edwards is a smart fighter who will avoid risky situations.
Prates emphasized the importance of staying alert: “We know he’s not a knockout artist, he’s not a finisher, against a guy who likes to finish people, I don’t believe he’s going to risk it — especially coming off two losses. He’s always been a bureaucratic fighter, and he’ll be even more bureaucratic now that he’s coming off two losses.”
Prates is confident in his ability to handle Edwards’s strategy: “He’s a smart guy, we know he’s intelligent, so he’s not going to come to trade blows. I’ll be alert to that. I can’t let him turn the fight into a boring fight because that would be good for him.”
With this upcoming match at UFC 322, Prates is setting his sights on securing a title shot and believes he has what it takes to make it happen.
