Carlos Prates has achieved the remarkable feat of finishing three fighters who had never been knocked out before. Leon Edwards had never lost by knockout in 28 fights before facing Prates. Li Jingliang had never been knocked out in 27 fights before their encounter. Jack Della Maddalena had never lost by knockout in standup fighting, with his only TKO loss coming when he was exhausted and finished on the ground. This unprecedented record highlights Prates' exceptional finishing ability against elite welterweights who had proven extremely durable throughout their careers.
Carlos Prates has carved out a unique place in UFC welterweight history, becoming the first fighter to knock out three men who had each entered their respective bouts without ever having been stopped by strikes before.
The Brazilian southpaw, nicknamed "The Nightmare," carries a 24-7 record and currently sits ranked fifth in the welterweight division. Standing six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach, Prates competes out of Vale Top Team and has built a reputation as one of the division's most dangerous finishers, connecting on 55 percent of his significant strikes.
Leon Edwards had gone 28 professional fights without suffering a knockout loss before Prates ended that streak. Li Jingliang, the 38-year-old Chinese veteran known as "The Leech," boasted a 19-9 record and had survived 27 fights without ever being knocked out, averaging 4.46 significant strikes landed per minute himself throughout his career. Jack Della Maddalena, the 29-year-old Australian ranked fourth at welterweight and 13th pound-for-pound, carried an 18-4 record and had never been stopped by clean standup strikes — his only prior TKO loss having come via ground stoppages while exhausted rather than from a traditional knockout.
Why it matters
- All three fighters were proven elite-level welterweights with exceptional durability records spanning decades of professional competition
- Prates has now demonstrated the ability to finish not just fringe contenders but former champions and top-five-ranked opponents
- The feat underscores Prates as a genuine finishing threat against anyone in the 170-pound division, regardless of their historical durability
- At 32 years old, Prates appears to be entering the peak years of his career with his finishing credentials firmly established at the highest level
