Arriving in the promotion with a 17-6 record, Carlos Prates racked up wins in ONE championship and LFA before seizing an opportunity on Dana White’s contender series in August 2023. It was there that he finished Mitch Ramirez with a straight left in round number two, which was enough to earn him a contract with the UFC.
Starting Off With A Bang
His full debut came at UFC fight night in February last year, where he again stopped his opponent Trevin Giles with the same shot in the same round as his previous victim. The outstanding finish was enough to earn him performance of the night, earning himself an extra $50,000 on top of his fight purse as he announced himself to an even wider audience.
Four months later he was matched with Chris Radtke on another fight night card, when Joe Martinez called out the Brazilians name you could tell from the crowd reaction that the UFC fanbase had taken to the promising welterweight talent. His American opponent was no slouch and came into the contest already carrying two wins under the UFC banner, so it was seen as an even match-up on paper.
But that’s where the evenness ended, as soon as they stepped in the octagon you knew from Prates’ stature compared to Radtke’s that it was only a matter of time with the artillery he carries. A thunderous body kick in the first round that forced Radtke to curl up and essentially quit saw Prates rake in another $50,000 with the performance of the night bonus, further enhancing his fast-growing reputation.
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Benefits Of Early Finishes.
His third win of the year came after his shortest turnaround with a gap of just two months between fight dates where he jumped at the chance to feature on the biggest card of his UFC career to date, UFC 305 Du Plessis vs. Adesanya, and yet again he delivered. The next victim of the Carlos Prates era was Li Jingliang, who had never been knocked out in his previous twenty-seven fights, including eight defeats. ‘
‘The Nightmare’ ended that run emphatically in the second round after what was basically a Muay Thai fight. After the primary weapon of his lethal left hand landed several times and his usual array of kicks and elbows, the Brazilian had Jiangliang on his toes after connecting with a pinpoint left cross, which forced him backwards. Of course, Prates followed him like a dog and landed a knockout of-the year contender, which brought a massive pop for the Australian crowd and yet another fight-of-the-night bonus for the former ONE championship fighter.
The Nightmare.
Generally, for most fighters working their way through the rankings, they have to beat a contender that sits around the top fifteen in a fight scheduled for five rounds, and in November last year, he did exactly that. In his way was the UFC veteran Neil Magny, who has been with the promotion since 2013, producing some big moments of his own. But it was Prates who produced another big moment when he ran through Magny in the first round, laying him out flat on the canvas.
Surprise, surprise, it was yet another bonus heading the nightmare’s way after once again living up to his nickname. A truly outstanding start to life in the UFC with four fights, four knockouts, four bonuses in 2024 and now sitting at number thirteen in the rankings of a littered welterweight division with huge names such as Leon Edwards, Shavkat Rakhmonov and current champion Belal Muhammad.
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What’s Next?
He now has many potential options with further names like Joaquin Buckley and Sean Brady, who would pose a much tougher challenge than his opponents over the last twelve months. There is also the prospect of fighting former champion Kamaru Usman or Colby Covington, plus many more high-profile names in one of the fan’s favourite weight classes.
Who would you like to see the 2024 breakout fighter of the year face next? Let us know in the comment section!
