Carlos Prates has achieved a unique distinction by becoming the first fighter to knock out Leon Edwards, Li Jingliang, and Jack Della Maddalena. Edwards had never been knocked out in 28 professional fights prior to facing Prates. Li Jingliang had never suffered a knockout loss in 27 fights before his encounter with Prates. Della Maddalena had never been knocked out on the feet, with his only TKO loss coming from ground strikes when fatigued. This record highlights Prates' exceptional finishing ability against previously unbreakable opponents.
Carlos Prates has carved out a remarkable statistical distinction, becoming the first fighter in professional MMA history to knock out Leon Edwards, Li Jingliang, and Jack Della Maddalena — three welterweights who had each entered their respective bouts with spotless knockout-loss records.
Prates, known as "The Nightmare," holds a 24-7 record and sits fifth in the welterweight rankings at 32 years old. The Brazilian product of Vale Top Team stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach and connects at a 55 percent striking accuracy rate — a number that helps explain why opponents who had absorbed punishment from everyone else could not withstand his power. The switch-stance finisher attempts no submissions, making his entire threat profile built around striking.
Edwards had gone 28 professional fights without being stopped by strikes before running into Prates. Li Jingliang, the 38-year-old Chinese veteran nicknamed "The Leech," had compiled a 19-9 record across 27 bouts without suffering a knockout defeat, landing 4.46 significant strikes per minute himself with a 71-inch reach. Jack Della Maddalena, the 29-year-old Australian ranked fourth at welterweight and 13th pound-for-pound, came in at 18-4 with a 73-inch reach and a blistering output of 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy. His only prior TKO loss had come from ground strikes while fatigued — he had never been finished on the feet.
Why it matters
- Prates has now cracked three of the division's most durable chins, a finishing credential that stands alone in welterweight history
- His rise to the fifth-ranked position puts him squarely in title contention, with each KO win coming against a ranked or formerly ranked opponent
- The matchup data underscores a pure striker versus striker dynamic — Prates holds a reach advantage of at least five inches over each of the three opponents he has stopped
