Carlos Prates has achieved the fastest accumulation of 7 knockout victories in UFC history, doing so in just 8 fights. The previous record holders were heavyweights Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez, who needed 9 fights. Only 62 fighters out of 2,710 who have competed in UFC over 33 years have recorded 7 knockouts, representing just 2.29% of all fighters. Prates also holds the record for fastest accumulation of 14 knockdowns, achieving this in just 17 incomplete rounds, giving him the highest knockdown rate per 15 minutes of fight time in UFC history. Additionally, he earned 7 Performance of the Night bonuses faster than anyone in UFC history, needing only 8 fights compared to the average of 15 fights for other fighters. The post describes his 8-fight run as one of the top three most spectacular stretches in UFC history, noting he has knocked out two former UFC champions who had never been finished before.
Carlos Prates has etched his name into the UFC record books in multiple categories, cementing a historic run that stands among the most destructive stretches in the promotion's 33-year history.
The Brazilian welterweight, nicknamed "The Nightmare," became the fastest fighter ever to record seven knockout victories in the UFC, reaching that milestone in just eight fights. The previous record was held by two heavyweight legends — Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos — who each needed nine fights to hit the same mark. To put that in perspective, only 62 of the 2,710 fighters to have competed in the UFC have ever recorded seven knockouts at all, a group representing just 2.29 percent of the entire roster.
Prates, who carries a 24-7-0 professional record and is currently ranked fifth in the welterweight division at 32 years old, also holds the record for the fastest accumulation of 14 knockdowns in UFC history, achieving that figure across just 17 incomplete rounds. That output translates to the highest knockdown rate per 15 minutes of fight time the promotion has ever seen. Standing six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach, the switch-stance fighter has built his reputation on explosive, accurate striking, landing at a 55 percent clip.
His bonus record is equally striking. Prates earned seven Performance of the Night awards in just eight fights, a pace that dwarfs the UFC average of 15 fights for fighters reaching that same bonus total.
Why it matters
- Prates has knocked out two former UFC champions who had never previously been finished, underlining the elite level of his recent victims.
- His eight-fight stretch is considered one of the three most spectacular runs in UFC history, raising his profile well beyond his current fifth-place ranking at 170 pounds.
- With historical comparisons now including Velasquez, a 14-3-0 heavyweight icon, and dos Santos at 21-9-0, the scale of what Prates has accomplished in a fraction of the fights is difficult to overstate.
