Carlos Prates Bio
Carlos Augusto Monteiro Prates (born August 17, 1993) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist and former Muay Thai fighter. He currently competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he has emerged as one of the promotion’s most exciting knockout artists. Nicknamed “The Nightmare,” Prates has built a reputation for devastating striking, particularly with his signature left knee to the body and powerful left hook.
Early Life and Background
Carlos Augusto Monteiro Prates was born on August 17, 1993, in Taubaté, São Paulo, Brazil. He was raised by a single mother, and grew up in the interior of São Paulo state. As a teenager, Prates began training in Muay Thai at Vale Top Team, the academy that would later become central to his professional career.
After four years of dedicated striking training, Prates transitioned into mixed martial arts and began competing professionally in 2012. His early years were shaped by the disciplined environment of Vale Top Team, where he developed the technical foundation that would later define his fighting style. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, reflecting his well-rounded skill set across multiple disciplines.
Path to MMA
Prates made his professional MMA debut in 2012, but his early career was marked by significant challenges. Over his first nine professional fights, he posted a 5-4 record, a stretch he later attributed in part to competing at an unsuitable weight class and lacking discipline in his training. These early setbacks pushed him to reassess his approach and seek out new training environments.
After his fourth professional loss, Prates made the pivotal decision to relocate to Thailand to deepen his Muay Thai skills. He spent an extended period training and competing in Thailand, gaining valuable experience in striking at a high level. When he returned to MMA in 2016, he did so as a more polished and complete fighter, ready to take his career to the next level.
Carlos Prates Career
Early Career (2012–2018)
From 2012 to 2018, Carlos Prates competed across Asia while continuing to refine his craft. He fought extensively on the regional Asian MMA circuit, including events such as China’s Chin Woo Men and Thailand’s Full Metal Dojo. During this period, he also competed in Muay Thai and kickboxing, building a record against high-caliber opposition.
Prates faced notable strikers during this developmental phase, including future Lethwei World Champion Dave Leduc in 2016 and Glory veteran Dmitry Menshikov in 2018. He also competed at Kunlun Fight in China, defeating Chen Zijun via first-round knockout with a knee to the body, a finish that foreshadowed his future calling card in the UFC.
ONE Championship Warrior Series Breakthrough (2019–2023)
In 2019, Prates joined ONE Championship’s Warrior Series, where he gained broader recognition on the international stage. He compiled notable wins during this stretch, including a victory over Gunther Kalunda, demonstrating his growing finishing ability and confidence against quality opposition.
By the end of 2023, Prates had assembled a professional record of 15-6, a body of work that earned him an invitation to Dana White’s Contender Series. His time on the Asian circuit had transformed him from a promising striker into a well-rounded finisher ready for the biggest stage in mixed martial arts.
UFC Debut and Rise (2024–Present)
Prates made his UFC debut on February 10, 2024, at UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Pyfer, where he stopped Trevin Giles via second-round knockout and earned a Performance of the Night bonus. He followed that up with a first-round knee-to-the-body finish of Charles Radtke at UFC on ESPN: Cannonier vs. Imavov, securing his second consecutive Performance of the Night award.
On August 18, 2024, Prates made his pay-per-view debut at UFC 305 against Li Jingliang, delivering a statement performance with a left hook knockout after dropping Jingliang twice. Notably, Prates became the first fighter to ever knock out Jingliang, and the win earned him a third straight Performance of the Night bonus. He then headlined his first UFC event against veteran Neil Magny at UFC Fight Night: Magny vs. Prates, where he defended all seven of Magny’s takedown attempts and dropped him twice before finishing the fight by knockout at 4:50 of the first round, claiming a fourth consecutive Performance of the Night award.
Driving Style and Strengths
Carlos Prates fights from a southpaw stance and stands 185 cm tall with a 198 cm reach, giving him a significant physical frame in the welterweight division. His style is built around powerful left-side attacks, including his signature left knee to the body and heavy left hook, both of which have produced numerous highlight-reel finishes. He trains out of Vale Top Team alongside Fighting Nerds, and his grappling defense has continued to improve alongside his elite-level striking.
Notable Events and Milestones
Prates has earned five Performance of the Night awards in the UFC, all by knockout, an extraordinary run that places him among the most prolific finishers in recent welterweight history. His finishes of Li Jingliang, Neil Magny, Geoff Neal, and Leon Edwards have all come inside the distance and showcased his finishing instincts. As of November 25, 2025, he is ranked #6 in the UFC welterweight rankings, reflecting his rapid ascent in one of the most competitive divisions in the sport.
Carlos Prates Career Wins
Carlos Prates has compiled a verified professional record of 23 wins against 7 losses across 30 total professional bouts, with finishes coming by knockout, submission, and decision. He has earned five Performance of the Night bonuses during his time in the UFC, all stemming from knockout victories. His finishing rate and consistent bonus-winning form have made him one of the most talked-about welterweight contenders in the world.
UFC Welterweight Highlights
Since joining the UFC in February 2024, Carlos Prates has rapidly built a highlight reel of knockout finishes. His UFC victories include stoppages of Trevin Giles, Charles Radtke, Li Jingliang, Neil Magny, Geoff Neal, and Leon Edwards. Each finish came by way of knockout, with his left knee to the body and left hook serving as his primary weapons.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the UFC, Prates captured the SFT Xtreme Welterweight title on November 6, 2021, finishing Dengue Silva via fifth-round knockout with a body punch. He also holds notable wins on the international kickboxing circuit, including victories over Wu Sihan, Jacob Ginter, Jiao Fukai, and Mansurbek Tolipov across promotions in China and Thailand.
Carlos Prates Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Carlos Prates was raised by a single mother in Taubaté, São Paulo, and credits his family environment with instilling the discipline required for his combat sports career. His longtime training home, Vale Top Team in Taubaté, has served as both a gym and a family environment throughout his development as a fighter.
Personal Life
Prates continues to reside in Taubaté, Brazil, where he trains at Vale Top Team alongside his Fighting Nerds teammates. He is known professionally by the nickname “The Nightmare,” a moniker that reflects his aggressive, finish-oriented fighting style.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 campaign began with a setback for Carlos Prates when his scheduled April 12 booking against Geoff Neal at UFC 314 was cancelled after Neal withdrew. Prates quickly returned to action on April 26, 2025, headlining UFC on ESPN 66 against Ian Machado Garry, where he suffered a unanimous decision loss in his first UFC defeat.
Prates rebounded emphatically on August 16, 2025, at UFC 319, where he finished the rebooked Geoff Neal via first-round knockout to claim his fifth Performance of the Night bonus. He then capped his year with another major statement, knocking out former UFC Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards in the second round at UFC 322 on November 15, 2025, earning yet another Performance of the Night award and climbing to #6 in the official UFC welterweight rankings.
With momentum from consecutive high-profile finishes over Neal and Edwards, Prates enters the next chapter of his career firmly positioned as a top welterweight contender. His combination of finishing power, improved grappling defense, and championship-level experience sets up a clear path toward a future title opportunity in the UFC welterweight division.