Carlos Prates has achieved the fastest seven knockout victories in UFC history, reaching the milestone in just eight fights. This surpasses previous records held by heavyweights like Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos, who needed nine fights. Prates also holds the record for the fastest to accumulate 14 knockdowns, achieving this in just 17 incomplete rounds, and has the highest average knockdown rate per 15 minutes of fight time in UFC history. Additionally, he earned seven Performance of the Night bonuses in just eight fights, nearly twice as fast as the average 15 fights required by other fighters. The post suggests that if Islam Makhachev defeats opponents like Ian Garry, Prates, and Shavkat Rakhmonov, he could be considered equal to or surpass Jon Jones' legacy.
Carlos Prates has rewritten the UFC record books, becoming the fastest fighter in promotional history to record seven knockout victories, accomplishing the feat in just eight fights.
The milestone eclipses previous benchmarks set by heavyweight legends. Former heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, who holds a professional record of 14-3 and built his career at American Kickboxing Academy, needed nine fights to reach seven knockouts, as did fellow heavyweight great Junior dos Santos. That Prates achieved the mark while competing as a welterweight makes the accomplishment all the more striking.
Beyond the seven-KO benchmark, Prates has accumulated 14 knockdowns in just 17 incomplete rounds of fight time, the fastest any UFC fighter has reached that total. He also holds the highest average knockdown rate per 15 minutes across UFC history. His eight-fight run has produced seven Performance of the Night bonuses — a pace that is nearly double the promotional average of roughly 15 fights for fighters who reach the same bonus total.
Why it matters
- Prates has reset the standard for finishing pace in the welterweight division, a class that already features elite strikers and grapplers.
- Shavkat Rakhmonov, ranked third at welterweight with an undefeated record of 19-0 and a striking accuracy of 60 percent, represents one of the division's most formidable tests should a future matchup materialise.
- The broader conversation around Islam Makhachev's legacy has emerged alongside these records, with discussion suggesting that dominant wins over opponents of the calibre of Prates and Rakhmonov could position Makhachev in historical company with Jon Jones, who carries a 28-1 record and boasts a reach of 84 inches.
- The knockdown-rate record adds a measurable statistical layer to what has largely been an anecdotal debate about the most dangerous finishers in UFC history.
