A knockout of the year contender wasn’t enough for UFC welterweight Carlos Prates after his highlight-reel finish of Geoff Neal at UFC 319 on Saturday night. Prates landed a vicious spinning elbow that left the veteran out cold on the canvas, before grabbing the mic to call his shot, a bonus and a fight at UFC Rio on October 11. His desired opponent? Former welterweight champion Leon Edwards. While Dana White granted Prates the UFC Rio slot, Edwards may not be the one across the cage. Instead, Michael “Venom” Page, currently ranked No. 15, is ready to step in.

Page, known as one of the trickiest stylistic puzzles in the division, has often struggled to find willing opponents. However, that wasn’t the case after UFC 319, where he dominated Jared Cannonier, styling on him and mocking him throughout a unanimous decision win. Dana White reportedly approved both fights on the spot. And yet, despite no trash talk or tension between them, Prates, who celebrated his 32nd birthday right after UFC 319, appears to be enjoying himself, even partying alongside his potential future opponent.

Carlos Prates savors well-deserved celebration after UFC 319 victory

Yesterday, UFC on TNT Sports tagged Paradigm Sports on Instagram and shared a clip with the caption, “MVP and Carlos Prates were living it up after their wins at #UFC319 🕺.” In the video, Carlos Prates appeared shirtless, wearing a shiny necklace with a large circular gold locket, paired with long pants. Holding a drink in one hand, he exchanged handshakes and daps with the 38-year-old, clearly enjoying the celebration.

Michael Page, on the other hand, was fully dressed in a white sleeveless shirt and beige cargo pants. The two fighters posed for photos, hugged, and shared a few words in each other’s ears, giving fans a glimpse of them enjoying the moment together after their respective victories.

For Page, the excitement was more than just about the party. Having fought his last two bouts at middleweight due to top welterweights avoiding him, he welcomed the idea of facing the popular Prates back at 170. “One hundred percent,” he said at the UFC 319 post-fight press conference when asked if he was interested. “You’re not hitting me with that spinning elbow, I’ll tell you that now. That’s a great fight, and those are the kind of fights I want. Those are the fights I’m courting on. If he’s happy, I’m happy to put my hand up.” And if the fight does come together, the card they land on will be nothing short of spectacular. Why, you ask?

Carlos Prates vs. MVP could light up UFC Rio

Brazilian rising star Carlos Prates made waves in the UFC’s welterweight division when he debuted 18 months ago, immediately announcing himself with a knockout victory over Mitch Ramirez. Riding that momentum, ‘The Nightmare’ racked up a five-fight winning streak until he ran into Irish standout Ian Garry. Known for testing the division’s elite, Garry outsmarted Prates’ game plan and walked away with a decision victory.

Months later, Prates returned to the Octagon at UFC 319 and delivered a statement win over Geoff Neal. Now, talk of a potential clash with Michael “Venom” Page has stirred excitement, as on paper it looks set to be a wild firefight. Why, you ask?

UFC Rio will already be headlined by a lightweight showdown between former champion Charles Oliveira and Rafael Fiziev, marking Oliveira’s quick turnaround after his knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 317. Page, in his post-fight interview, admitted he’ll need to sit down with his coaches before deciding on such a fast return. Still, the veteran has made it clear he wants big fights to close out his career, including a final push toward the title.

Page’s long tenure in Bellator adds another storyline. Many fans view this as a “passing of the torch” fight: either the flashy veteran gets one more marquee win, or Prates cements himself as Brazil’s next big MMA export. The stakes aren’t just rankings; they’re legacy.

UFC Rio will already be headlined by a lightweight showdown between former champion Charles Oliveira and Rafael Fiziev, marking Oliveira’s quick turnaround after his knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 317. Page, in his post-fight interview, admitted he’ll need to sit down with his coaches before deciding on such a fast return. Still, the veteran has made it clear he wants big fights to close out his career, including a final push toward the title. With both men surging in popularity and UFC Rio becoming a homecoming for Brazilian MMA, this matchup carries the kind of energy that could turn it into one of the year’s most talked-about co-main events.