UFC welterweight contender Carlos Prates wants to share a cigarette with one of the top UFC stars before he hangs up the gloves.
Carlos Prates’s rapid ascent to UFC stardom came despite some questionable health decisions outside of the Octagon. As he admitted during a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Prates usually smokes 8-10 cigarettes a day, including at least one before every one of his fights.
Prates earned a spot in the welterweight rankings by becoming one of the few fighters to stop Neil Magny inside the Octagon. Sitting cage-side was Jon Jones, the UFC’s heavyweight champion, who decided to watch Prates’s return just days from his UFC 309 booking.
Before it’s all said and done, Prates wants to smoke a cigarette with the UFC GOAT, especially after Jones’s past partying and questionable choices outside the cage.
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Carlos Prates calls out Jon Jones for ‘dream’ smoke session
In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Prates was asked via fan questions about a celebrity who he wants to smoke with before his career concludes.
“It’s a hard question, but I think Jon Jones,” Prates said. “But, I don’t know if I’m going to enjoy the party like I do in my home city, because Jon Jones is on a different level of guy! Different level of famous, much more famous. Some things he can’t say and do, but it would be cool for sure.”
As of this writing, Jones hasn’t responded to Prates’ open invitation. Jones is fresh off his first heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic in which he finished Miocic with a brutal liver kick.
As 2025 approaches, Prates is on his way to potentially becoming one of the welterweight division’s biggest stars if he can get past a couple more top contenders. Before finishing Magny, he defeated Li Jingliang, Charles Radtke, and Trevin Giles in a series of wild knockout finishes.
Update on potential Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall clash in 2025
Jones is in the middle of active negotiations with the UFC over a potential return to the Octagon in 2025. The UFC is attempting to book Jones against Tom Aspinall, the interim heavyweight titleholder, despite recent dismissals from Jones’ side.
As of this writing, negotiations between Jones and the UFC are ongoing, but Jones recently shared a positive update on where things stand. Aspinall is also optimistic that fans will see him and Jones fight in the cage next year.
Jones pitched a super fight with UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira over the Aspinall bout, but the promotion isn’t interested in booking that fight. Pereira most recently finished Khalil Rountree Jr. in his most recent title defense at UFC 307.
Jones captured the then-vacant UFC heavyweight title by defeating Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. Before that, he took three years away from the Octagon to transform his body for the full-time move up to heavyweight.
As Prates’ rise up the welterweight ranks marches on, he likely won’t give up smoking anytime soon. In the meantime, a smoke session with Prates and Jones might break the internet.
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