Carlos Prates has achieved the fastest accumulation of seven knockout victories in UFC history, reaching the milestone in just eight fights. He surpassed heavyweights like Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez, who needed nine fights. Prates has also recorded 14 knockdowns in only 17 incomplete rounds, the highest average rate in UFC history, and earned seven Performance of the Night bonuses faster than anyone. Only 62 fighters out of 2,710 who have competed in UFC's 33-year history have achieved seven knockouts, representing just 2.29% of all roster members. The post suggests that if Islam Makhachev defeats Ian Garry and Prates, plus potentially Shavkat Rakhmonov, he would equal or surpass Jon Jones's legacy.
Carlos Prates has etched his name into UFC history by recording seven knockout victories in just eight fights, the fastest any fighter has ever reached that milestone in the promotion's 33-year existence.
The Brazilian welterweight eclipsed legendary heavyweights Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez, both of whom needed nine fights to reach seven UFC knockouts. The record-breaking stretch is made all the more remarkable by his knockdown numbers: Prates has put opponents on the canvas 14 times across only 17 incomplete rounds, a rate that stands as the highest average in UFC history. He has also claimed seven Performance of the Night bonuses faster than any other fighter in the promotion's history. To put the achievement in broader perspective, only 62 fighters out of the 2,710 who have competed in the UFC have ever recorded seven knockouts — roughly 2.29 percent of everyone who has stepped inside the Octagon.
Welterweight champion Islam Makhachev enters the conversation as the reported next obstacle for Prates. The 34-year-old Russian holds a 28-1 record and sits atop the pound-for-pound rankings. Fighting out of a southpaw stance for Eagles MMA, Makhachev averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and a 58 percent striking accuracy, making him one of the most complete fighters in the sport. Also looming in the discussion is third-ranked welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov, the undefeated 31-year-old from Kazakhstan who carries a 19-0 record. The six-foot-four Nomad, who boasts a 77-inch reach and a 60 percent striking accuracy, averages 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes alongside his 1.4 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Prates has set three separate all-time UFC records within a single eight-fight run, an unprecedented combination of achievements.
- A win over Makhachev, Prates, and potentially Rakhmonov would place Makhachev in conversations alongside Jon Jones, who holds a 28-1 record of his own, in terms of all-time legacy.
- The welterweight division now has multiple elite strikers and grapplers converging at the top, raising the stakes for every matchup involving the champion.
