Carlos Prates: The Smoking Gun of the UFC's Welterweight Division
Static by Steven J. | MMA Stalker
From Taubaté With Fire
1
Birth
Born in Taubaté, São Paulo, Brazil, in 1993, Carlos Prates took the scenic route to the UFC — through Muay Thai gyms, personal chaos, and a fog of cigarette smoke.
2
Smoking Initiation
Smoking since he was 15, Prates found salvation through violence (the legal kind), turning his life around with the help of his mother and the martial arts gods.
Training, Teams, and Thai Knees
International Training
Prates sharpened his blades in Brazil and Thailand, mixing brutal Muay Thai with MMA grit.
Gym
He trains out of Vale Top Team and the aptly named The Fighting Nerds, which sounds like a comic book team that hits back — hard.
Fighting Style
Today, his fighting style is classic Brazilian: patient, explosive, and capable of knocking your WiFi out with a left hand.
The Résumé: Four KOs and a Cloud of Smoke
UFC
Joined the UFC in 2023
Winning Streak
4 straight wins, all stoppages
Defeated Opponents
Victims include: Trevin Giles, Charles Radtke, Li Jingliang, Neil Magny
Fighting Style
Fights like he's trying to prove you wrong — and succeeding
The Cigarette Controversy
10
Cigarettes a Day!
Yes — he smokes. Like, 10 cigarettes a day. Says it doesn't affect his cardio. Says he'll quit eventually. Doesn't care what you think. His fists still work fine.
Beefs and Blowback
🔥 Ian Machado Garry (Current Rival)
Prates and Garry are trading more heat than a Texas summer. Garry says Prates quit in 2017. Prates fired back:
"He's never had a main event. A bunch of decisions there, a f***ing boring fighter... He's fighting in the main event because I chose him."
💥 Neil Magny KO Drama
Prates starched Magny so fast fans accused Magny of taking a dive. His response?
"Let me give a punch on his head, then he can talk."
Family and Fatherhood
The Person
Outside the cage, Prates is all heart.
Family
His daughter lives in Australia
Motivation
He makes it clear she's the only thing he fights for harder than a finish bonus.
Next Up: Ian Garry — UFC on ESPN 66
Evento Principal
Main event
Personal Rivalry
This one is personal
Objective
Prates is looking to derail "The Future" and prove that sometimes the underdog just hits harder.
Final Words from Static
1
2
3
4
1
Contradiction
Carlos Prates is a contradiction — calm and chaotic, humble and hostile
2
Paradox
A walking paradox with knockout power
3
Lifestyle
He smokes between training sessions and cracks skulls between media days
4
Results
Love it or hate it, it's working
O Pesadelo Está Acordado
Alert
And as of now, "The Nightmare" is wide awake
Focus
He's aiming straight
Objective
For Garry's spotlight