Carlos Prates has achieved a remarkable striking feat by becoming the first fighter to knock out three previously undefeated strikers. Leon Edwards had never been knocked out in 28 fights before facing Prates. Li Jingliang had never been knocked out in 27 fights until his bout with Prates. Jack Della Maddalena had never been knocked out in standup, with his only TKO loss coming via ground and pound when he was exhausted. This statistical achievement highlights Prates's exceptional finishing power and striking abilities.
Carlos Prates has carved out a unique place in UFC history by becoming the first fighter to knock out three opponents who had each entered their bouts without ever previously being stopped on the feet.
The Brazilian welterweight, known as "The Nightmare," carries a 24-7 record and is currently ranked fifth in the division at 32 years old. Standing six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach, Prates fights out of Vale Top Team and connects on 55 percent of his significant strikes — a standout accuracy figure that underscores how cleanly he finds his targets. His three landmark stoppages came against fighters whose chins had appeared unbreakable before they stepped in with him.
Leon Edwards had gone 28 professional fights without being knocked out before Prates ended that streak. Li Jingliang, the 38-year-old Chinese standout nicknamed "The Leech," had similarly never been knocked out across 27 career bouts. Jack Della Maddalena, the 29-year-old Australian ranked fourth at welterweight and 13th pound-for-pound, had never been stopped in standup either — the only TKO loss on his 18-4 record came via ground and pound when he was exhausted. Prates changed all three of those records with pure striking.
Why it matters
- All three victims had ironclad knockout resistance before meeting Prates, making the hat trick historically significant in the division.
- With Prates ranked fifth and Della Maddalena fourth at welterweight, the stoppage has direct implications for how the top of the 170-pound rankings are ordered.
- Prates's 78-inch reach — seven inches longer than Li Jingliang's and five inches longer than Della Maddalena's — gives him a structural advantage in standup exchanges that his 55 percent striking accuracy puts to work.
