Carlos Prates has achieved knockout victories over three fighters who had never been knocked out before in their careers. Leon Edwards had never lost by knockout in 28 fights until facing Prates. Li Jingliang had never been knocked out in 27 fights before losing to Prates. Jack Della Maddalena had never been knocked out on the feet until facing Prates, with his only TKO loss coming from ground strikes while fatigued. This highlights Prates's exceptional finishing ability against durable opponents.
Carlos Prates has carved out a unique distinction in UFC welterweight history, becoming the first fighter to knock out three opponents who had never previously been stopped by strikes — Leon Edwards, Li Jingliang, and Jack Della Maddalena.
Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," carries a 24-7 record and currently sits fifth in the welterweight rankings. The 32-year-old Brazilian, who trains out of Vale Top Team, stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach and finishes fights with a striking accuracy of 55 percent. His ability to consistently find the knockout against durable opponents has become the defining feature of his UFC run.
Edwards entered his bout with Prates having gone 28 professional fights without ever being stopped by strikes. Li Jingliang, the 38-year-old Chinese veteran known as "The Leech," had similarly gone 27 fights without suffering a knockout loss. Li carries a 19-9 record and averaged 4.46 significant strikes landed per minute across his career, making him a proven veteran of high-output exchanges.
Jack Della Maddalena, the 29-year-old Australian ranked fourth at welterweight and 13th pound-for-pound, adds further weight to the achievement. The Scrappy MMA product holds an 18-4 record and lands an impressive 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy. His only prior TKO loss had come from ground strikes while fatigued, meaning he had never been put away on the feet before facing Prates.
Why it matters
- Prates has now stopped three of the division's most durable fighters, underlining his elite finishing credentials at 145-pound welterweight level
- His 78-inch reach and switch stance give him a physical and technical edge that has consistently troubled experienced opponents
- The feat strengthens his case as a genuine welterweight title contender, sitting just one spot behind Della Maddalena in the divisional rankings
