UFC welterweight Carlos Prates smoked more than just his opponent last night in Kentucky as he delivered a brutal liver-shot KO in round one.
There were quite a few brutal knockouts last night at UFC Louisville in Kentucky, including arguably one of the most vicious body shot KOs in recent memory; delivered by Brazilian striker Carlos Prates to the liver of ever-entertaining brawler Charles Radtke.
Carlos Prates delivers horrific body-shot knockout at UFC Louisville
The ferocious knockout victory was not only enough to send the crowd into raucous applause, who had just sat through six consecutive decisions, but the shot was also enough to earn ‘The Nightmare’ a sweet extra $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
The viral knockout sees Prates extend his unbeaten streak to nine, having made a statement on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023 before dispatching veteran Trevin Giles earlier this year.
Yet whilst Prates is making a habit of delivering stunning finishes in the UFC octagon, he also has a shock habit that remains rather unusual for a top-level MMA fighter… Smoking.
Carlos Prates admits to smoking cigarettes before UFC fights
You must be a top athlete in incredible shape to be able to compete in the UFC, but that doesn’t mean that fighters aren’t as human as the rest of us, with vices and habits that might be considered unusual, or even undesirable by fellow professional sports stars.
Speaking via Full Send MMA, Prates revealed that not only does he compete in the UFC as a smoker, but that he regularly enters the octagon having smoked cigarettes on the day of the fight.
Interestingly, Prates here acknowledged that this is why he often likes to refer to himself as a ‘fighter’, not a professional ‘athlete’.
“I’m not the kind of guy [who’s an] athlete you know – I like to say that I’m a fighter, not an athlete because everybody says things; sometimes I go to parties, smoke cigarettes and drink… Of course, it’s not good but I know how to find a way [to win] and things might get done.
“When I come to train, I’m the first guy to come to the gym and the last one to leave the gym – I think because of my lifestyle and people sometimes they say s*** but my coach knows how to work with me.”
Prates admitted that since he’s been smoking cigarettes since he was 15 years old, “I have more time living [with] smoking than without,” adding on competing in MMA with such a habit – “For me it’s normal.”
“I smoke before the fight, on the day of the fight, it’s normal… Now we’re here in Louisville, so I’ll try to go and drink some whisky – go back to my hotel and I can’t wait to go back home to Brazil with my family, my friends; I can’t wait.”
Only a few hours later and a video emerged on the internet which shows the moment Prates was told that his viral knockout had landed him an extra $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus – and surprise, surprise, the news interrupted a smoking break.
Whilst Prates opted not to call out anyone specifically in the welterweight division, he did demand a place on the UFC 305 card in Perth, Australia.
As he explained to Paul Felder in the octagon after his statement victory, Prates has family ‘down under’ and wants nothing more than to get the opportunity to put on a show for his daughter.
“I’m feeling good but anyway I want to ask the UFC – 17 August, you guys are going to do a show in Australia: It’s my birthday and also my daughter’s living there so I really want to visit my daughter, fight next to her live so please, bring me to Australia… I want to give a fight there, please.”
With the win at UFC Louisville, Prates improves his record to 19-6.