Athletes
Carlos Prates: Humility And Confidence En Route To UFC Stardom
Brazilian Welterweight Carlos Prates Isn't Slowing Down Any Time Soon As He Steps Into The Biggest Spotlight Of His Career At UFC Fight Night: Magny vs Prates
On February 10, 2024, Carlos Prates first stepped inside of the Octagon as an UFC athlete. Almost exactly nine months later, he is scheduled to compete in his first main event in just his fourth UFC appearance.
Even though he knows the success is due to his own hard work, Prates admits he wasn't expecting such a quick rise in the world's greatest MMA organization.
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"Sometimes I look back at how fast things have been happening for me and I'm like: 'Is that even real,'" he told UFC.com. "A year ago I was signing with the UFC and now I'm fighting a veteran, a well-known guy, in my first main event, and I'm super excited about it. It's the chance every fighter looks for and I'm going to make the most out of it".
Prates was signed by the UFC after his appearance on Dana White's Contender Series in August of 2023, when he knocked out Mitch Ramirez and listened to UFC CEO White comparing him to a "young Anderson Silva."
Earlier this year, he followed that win up with a streak of knockouts over Trevin Giles, Charles Radtke and Li Jingliang, paving his way to a clash at the UFC APEX on November 9 with Neil Magny - who owns the record for most fights and wins in welterweight history, and is also currently ranked 15th in the division.
In each of his UFC wins, Prates also earned Performance of the Night honors, pocketing an extra 150 thousand dollars. But neither the compliments, nor the money, get the best of him.
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"I usually say being in the UFC doesn't dazzle me," said Prates. "I'm grateful that life took me to the world's greatest organization, but if that hadn't happened, I would still be living and I would still be a happy man. I still do the same things and go to the same places. I still walk around in shorts and flip flops because that's who I am. The money helps to change the lives of those around me.
"I can't be a hypocrite and say that it doesn't change my life," he added. "But I think the main purpose of the money I make is to help everyone who has helped me get to where I am. Everybody deserves their slice of the cake, and it's good to see the lives of those who believe and fight for my dream improving."
With 26 pro MMA fights in a 12-year career, Prates is now starting to harvest all he has been planting since the time when he lived in Thailand, perfecting his Muay Thai, to current days, where he splits training time with Vale Top Team in Taubate (in the countryside of Sao Paulo state) and The Fighting Nerds (in Sao Paulo city), which are approximately 90 miles apart.
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It was after a grappling session in the latter gym, under the eyes of Brazilian MMA veteran Flavio Alvaro, that we got to sit and talk with Prates about his expectations for his upcoming bout with Magny, the biggest challenge of his career thus far.
"He's a guy I respect a lot," said the Brazilian about his opponent. "He seems like a nice guy, but when we step inside the Octagon, it's just business. I want to close out the year in fashion, collecting another bonus. It would be dope to debut in the UFC rankings".
But confidence should not be mistaken for arrogance. Prates is well aware that the matchup with the 37-year-old Magny, who has shared the Octagon with the likes of Demian Maia, Rafael Dos Anjos, Carlos Condit and Robbie Lawler, among others, will be no easy task.
"It will definitely be a different fight (from his previous ones). Training for it is a little different, because it's five rounds now, against a fighter who I'm pretty sure will try and grapple with me," he anticipated. "I'm a jiu-jitsu black belt and I like doing jiu-jitsu, but in MMA I prefer striking because I think it's the fastest way to end a fight."
"He's a really tough guy, hard to knock out, but I see myself finishing him in the third or fourth round," added Prates.
And even if he collects his fourth win in the span of nine months, the Brazilian doesn't think about slowing down. His latest appearance at UFC 305 in Perth was a special one for him, as he has a daughter who lives in Australia. So when he first found out that the Octagon will be going back down under on February 9 for UFC 312, Prates already started making plans.
"The last couple fights, I've been telling my teammates, ‘After this one I'm going to cool down, take care of my body.' I've been fighting a lot. But then something always comes up," he said. "I love going to Australia. My daughter is there and I want to fight there again.
"That trip to Perth was awesome. She took me to see kangaroos, and I got to spend a lot of time with her. Those were a great 10 days, so I want to go back," Prates recalls. "And now it's in Sydney, which is exactly where my daughter lives. I'm already looking forward to it. Of course, I have all my attention focused on Neil Magny now, but when the referee raises my hand, my head will already be in Australia".
UFC Fight Night: Magny vs Prates took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 12, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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