Carlos Prates is sticking to his guns in preparation for a huge clash with Ian Garry this month.
The undefeated UFC welterweight takes on Ireland’s Garry in the main event of UFC Kansas City on April 27.
Prates is 21-6 in pro MMA, but 4-0 in the UFCGettyHaving emerged through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023, Prates is undefeated in four straight UFC bouts, with a 100% finish and bonus record.
His remarkable start in White’s promotion, paired with the fact that he is part of the ever-popular Fighting Nerds team based in Sao Paulo, has given the Brazilian serious traction.
‘The Nightmare’ is also known in the MMA community for his smoking addiction, which is something you can rarely match with an elite athlete performing at the highest level.
However, for Prates, it’s ‘normal’ now, as he has previously admitted to smoking since he was 15.
Although the 31-year-old has said he’s ‘trying to smoke a little bit less’, maybe the Brazilian sees it as a lucky charm considering he’s yet to lose in the UFC.
“I’m just doing what I do all the time. I just come to the gym, train hard, train a lot,” Prates told Ariel Helwani, speaking on if he takes it easy on the smokes ahead of big fights.
“I’m the first guy to come to the gym and the last guy to leave the gym…
“(No more smoking?) No, I smoke already. I’m doing everything [the same] as what I do.
“(Still 10-15 a day approximately?) Yeah. No problem. Still doing five rounds, six rounds.
“I’m trying to smoke a little bit less, but not because I’m going to fight, but because I want to smoke a little bit less…
Prates has finished every single one of his UFC opponentsGetty With some of the KO’s coming in more brutal style than othersAFP“I’m trying to get heavier and stronger. Before I was 81/82kg, and then I came to 90kg, so I’m trying to take care of my body and myself outside of the fight.
“[I’m smoking] maybe ten, eight [per day]…I stay without drinking maybe two months, one month and a half, because I don’t go to parties. I don’t go anywhere, just training…
“It’s not difficult to be far away from a drink, but it’s difficult to stay far away from a party.”
Prates went viral in June last year after stopping Charlie Radtke with a vicious knee to the body in his second UFC fight.
After learning that he was awarded a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus, the Brazilian was recorded puffing on tobacco the same evening.
Prates told Full Send MMA after the stoppage that he had been smoking in the buildup to the fight, as well as on the day of it.
Prates represents popular MMA gym, Fighting Nerds, and regularly rocks their glasses in the OctagonGetty“I think I’ve smoked since [I was] 15 years old,” he said.
“I have more time living smoking than without smoking. So for me it’s normal, I smoke before the fight, on the day of the fight, it’s normal.
“Now we here in Louisville, so I try to go drink some whiskey because here is capital of whiskey and I really like whiskey.”
Prates made his UFC debut in February 2024 and has been awarded with a bonus for each of his four stoppage’s in the promotion.
Garry, his next opponent, suffered the first defeat of his career to No.1 welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov in December, having embarked on an eight-fight win streak to kick start his UFC career.
The Dublin man is a former Cage Warriors champion and the current No.7-ranked welterweight, while Prates is six spots below.
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