Carlos Prates has achieved a remarkable statistical milestone with 14 knockdowns across only 8 UFC bouts. The post notes that even legendary fighters typically needed 14-15 fights to accumulate such numbers. Prates dropped Li Jingliang five times, Jack Della Maddalena three times, and Neil Magny twice. He also scored single knockdowns against Trevin Giles, Alex Oliveira, AJ Cunningham, and Leon Edwards. Additionally, he rocked Ian Garry with a ground-and-pound punch and nearly finished him. This unprecedented knockdown rate demonstrates exceptional finishing ability.
Carlos Prates has carved out a place in UFC statistical history, accumulating 14 knockdowns across just eight appearances in the promotion — a pace that rivals or exceeds what many all-time great finishers managed over far longer stretches of their careers.
Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," carries a 24-7 record and currently sits fifth in the welterweight division at 32 years old. The Brazilian, who fights out of Vale Top Team, stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach and connects on 55 percent of his significant strikes — a remarkably efficient clip. His knockdown numbers span several high-profile opponents: five against Li Jingliang, three against Jack Della Maddalena, two against Neil Magny, and singles against Trevin Giles, Alex Oliveira, AJ Cunningham, and Leon Edwards. He also rocked Ian Garry with a ground-and-pound shot that nearly produced a finish.
Among the opponents Prates has hurt, Della Maddalena stands out given his own elite status. The 29-year-old Australian is ranked fourth in the welterweight division and 13th pound-for-pound, holding an 18-4 record. Fighting out of Scrappy MMA, Della Maddalena lands 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy — one of the higher output rates in the division — which makes the fact that Prates dropped him three times all the more striking.
Neil Magny, the 38-year-old veteran known as "The Haitian Sensation," owns a 31-15 record and brings a high-volume wrestling game to his fights, averaging 2.17 takedowns per 15 minutes. That Prates managed two knockdowns against someone of Magny's experience underlines how consistently dangerous he is standing.
Why it matters
- Prates has reached 14 UFC knockdowns in eight fights, a historically rare rate of accumulation
- His current no. 5 welterweight ranking means future opponents will carry significant divisional weight
- The combination of reach advantage, switch stance, and 55 percent striking accuracy makes him a threat to any style in the division
