“I want it to be publicly announced that it was a number one contender fight. If you're, look, me and Sean Brady, that was the fight to make and the winner that goes to the world title. I don't disagree with you at all. I think that makes a lot of sense. However... I wanted no one to be able to jump the ladder because of any excuse. So from my point of view, I thought after a fight with Belal first, because as I said, Belal has knocked out number two in Sean Brady and he has smashed number three in Leon Edwards. So when you, when you smoke Belal, it's obvious what comes next.-via Ariel Helwani YT Channel”

“Now, if I go out there and do that to Sean Brady, someone can have that argument, 'oh, you haven't beat this guy.' And I didn't want any of that. So for me, it actually works out better, I'm not gonna lie...When you knock out a former champion, and he's number one in the world right now, and you smash him in less rounds than JDM could... I know I'm getting a world title fight-via Ariel Helwani YT Channel”

“I have no want, no interest ever for him to ever earn any money off me doing all the hard work of being the more interesting fighter... I'm gonna have a Brazilian flag on my shoulders come November 15th, cheering Carlos Prates on, watching him spark Leon Edwards unconscious.”