Carlos Prates has achieved a rare feat by finishing three fighters who had never been knocked out before in their extensive careers. Leon Edwards had never lost by knockout in 28 professional fights until facing Prates. Li Jingliang had never been knocked out in 27 career bouts before meeting Prates. Jack Della Maddalena had never been stopped on the feet, with his only TKO loss coming via ground-and-pound when he was exhausted in the grappling exchanges. All three fighters were known for their durability and striking defense before encountering the surging Brazilian contender. This unprecedented run of breaking knockout streaks highlights Prates' exceptional finishing power.
Carlos Prates has carved out a remarkable piece of MMA history by knocking out three separate fighters who had never previously been stopped on the feet across their professional careers — Leon Edwards, Li Jingliang, and Jack Della Maddalena.
Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," carries a 24-7 record and is currently ranked fifth in the UFC welterweight division. The 32-year-old Brazilian out of Vale Top Team stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach and connects on 55 percent of his significant strikes, an accuracy rate that underscores the quality of his output rather than the volume.
Li Jingliang, known as "The Leech," went 27 professional bouts without suffering a knockout loss before running into Prates. The 38-year-old orthodox striker stands six feet tall with a 71-inch reach and holds a 19-9 record, bringing a physical, takedown-oriented style into most of his fights.
Jack Della Maddalena entered his clash with Prates as the fourth-ranked welterweight and 13th in the pound-for-pound rankings, carrying an 18-4 record. The 29-year-old Australian southpaw from Scrappy MMA is a high-volume finisher in his own right, landing 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy. His only prior TKO defeat had come via ground-and-pound, meaning no opponent had ever stopped him on the feet before Prates did.
Why it matters
- Prates has broken the knockout virginity of three fighters across a combined 73-plus professional bouts, a genuinely rare achievement in modern MMA
- The run moves him to fifth in the welterweight rankings and firmly into title contention discussions
- His 78-inch reach and switch stance create a matchup problem for a division built around durable, technical strikers
