Carlos Prates has achieved a rare feat by knocking out three fighters who had never been knocked out before. Leon Edwards had never lost by knockout in 28 fights before facing Prates. Li Jingliang had never been knocked out in 27 fights before their bout. Jack Della Maddalena had never been knocked out standing; his only TKO loss came from ground strikes when he was exhausted. This accomplishment highlights Prates' exceptional knockout power and finishing ability.
Carlos Prates has carved out a historically rare achievement in the welterweight division, becoming the first fighter on record to knock out three opponents who had each entered their respective bouts without ever having been stopped by strikes before.
The Brazilian known as "The Nightmare" now carries a 24-7 record and sits ranked fifth in the welterweight division at 32 years old. Fighting out of Vale Top Team, Prates stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach and brings a 55 percent striking accuracy to go along with 3.77 significant strikes landed per minute — numbers that speak to a calculated, precise approach rather than volume punching. The accomplishment underscores the legitimacy of his finishing power.
Among his three victims, former welterweight champion Leon Edwards had gone 28 fights without suffering a knockout loss before Prates ended that streak. Li Jingliang, the 38-year-old Chinese veteran known as "The Leech," had similarly never been knocked out across 27 professional appearances. The six-foot striker carries a 19-9 record and had shown genuine durability throughout a lengthy UFC career. Jack Della Maddalena, the 29-year-old Australian ranked fourth at welterweight with a 13th-place pound-for-pound standing, had never been put away by upright strikes before facing Prates either. His only prior TKO loss had come via ground strikes while exhausted — a meaningfully different circumstance.
Why it matters
- Prates has now beaten two ranked welterweights and a former champion, all by knockout
- His rise to fifth in the division makes him a genuine title contender at 185 centimeters with a 198-centimeter reach
- The durability records of all three opponents make each finish more significant, not less
- The welterweight title picture becomes increasingly difficult to ignore Prates in
