After a quick trip up North, the UFC is heading back to Las Vegas this weekend with the centennial celebration of the world’s most famous arena; it’s time to look ahead to the main event of UFC Vegas 100 at the one and thank-God-its-only-one, UFC Apex.
Thankfully, this weekend’s offering is far better than the majority of the cards hosted at The Apex over the past few years, with UFC Vegas 100 headlined by popular 41-fight veteran Neil Magny and a dangerous KO artist on the rise.
Carlos Prates vows to finish veteran Neil Magny in his first UFC main event fight
In the headlining attraction of UFC Vegas 100, ‘The Haitian Sensation’ will be looking to put a halt to Carlos Prates’ hype train in what will be the Brazilian’s first-ever main event.
After scoring a fabulous first-round knockout on Dana White’s Contender Series, Prates has exploded onto the UFC welterweight scene in 2024 with three consecutive knockout wins over Trevin Giles, Charles Radtke, and Li Jingliang.
“He’s a guy I respect a lot, [and] he seems like a nice guy,” said the Brazilian on Magny, teasing that whilst he might hold the UFC veteran in high regard, all those positive vibes will be cut short when the cage door closes on Saturday evening.
“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”.
“He’s a really tough guy [and] hard to knock out, but I see myself finishing him in the third or fourth round.”
Prates might very well be one of the most dangerous strikers in the whole division, with 15 of his 20 career wins coming by KO/TKO, although Magny will also be wary to engage with ‘The Nightmare’ on the ground.
“It will definitely be a different fight [to my last 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… 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.”
It’ll be interesting to see how Magny handles the pressure of Prates, having recently suffered a brutal first-round knockout loss to Michael Morales only a few weeks ago in August – Magny currently retains the #15 spot in the rankings.
Carlos Prates reveals how UFC money has ‘changed him’ for the better
It’s common to hear UFC athletes claiming that the money that comes from fighting hasn’t changed them or their motivation to compete, but Prates is more than willing to come clean as he shares the spoils of war with those around him.
“I usually say being in the UFC doesn’t dazzle me, 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.”
Prates admitted that he’d consider himself a hypocrite if he claimed that UFC revenue hadn’t changed his or his loved one’s lives; remaining adamant that “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.”
Should Prates earn the victory in the main event of UFC Vegas 100, he’ll be planning a quick trip back to Australia to visit his daughter – ‘The Nightmare’ viciously TKO’d Jingliang on the UFC 305 card in Syndey.
“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 Vegas 100: Magny vs Prates goes down live from The Apex in Las Vegas, on Saturday, November 9.