Carlos Prates has achieved the fastest accumulation of seven knockouts in UFC history, reaching the milestone in just eight fights. The previous record holders were both heavyweights, Daniel Cormier and Cain Velasquez, who needed nine fights. Out of 2,710 fighters who have competed in UFC over 33 years, only 62 (2.29%) have ever recorded seven knockouts. Prates also set records for fastest accumulation of 14 knockdowns in just 17 incomplete rounds and fastest seven Performance of the Night bonuses, averaging nearly one per fight compared to the typical 15 fights needed. The post notes that Prates recently knocked out two former UFC champions who had never been stopped before, including finishing Jack Della Maddalena with low kicks. His eight-fight streak is considered one of the top three most spectacular runs in UFC history.
Carlos Prates has etched his name into the UFC record books in remarkable fashion, becoming the fastest fighter in the promotion's history to accumulate seven knockouts — achieving the milestone in just eight fights.
Prates, known as "The Nightmare," is a 32-year-old Brazilian welterweight out of Vale Top Team. Carrying a professional record of 24-7-0 and currently ranked fifth in the welterweight division, the six-foot-one switch-stance striker owns a 78-inch reach and lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. His recent run has included finishing two former UFC champions who had never previously been stopped, one of them ending via low kicks — a finish of Jack Della Maddalena that underscored just how varied his knockout toolkit is.
The previous record for fastest accumulation of seven UFC knockouts was held jointly by two heavyweights. Daniel Cormier, the 47-year-old "DC" with a 22-3-0 record, and Cain Velasquez, the 43-year-old former champion from American Kickboxing Academy with a 14-3-0 mark, each needed nine fights to reach the same threshold. Prates beat both of them to it by a full fight. To put the rarity of the achievement in perspective, only 62 of the 2,710 fighters to compete in the UFC across 33 years — just 2.29 percent — have ever recorded seven knockouts total.
Beyond the knockout record, Prates has simultaneously set the mark for fastest accumulation of 14 knockdowns, doing so across just 17 incomplete rounds. He has also earned seven Performance of the Night bonuses in eight outings, nearly one per fight, in a promotion where the typical fighter needs around 15 appearances to reach that same total.
Why it matters
- Prates sits fifth in the welterweight rankings, meaning his historic run is directly shaping the division's title picture.
- His knockout and knockdown records previously belonged to heavyweights, making his output at 170 pounds all the more striking.
- The eight-fight stretch is being regarded as one of the three most spectacular runs in UFC history, raising the stakes of every future booking.
