Carlos Prates has achieved three unprecedented UFC records during his first eight fights with the promotion. He became the fastest fighter in UFC history to record seven knockout victories, accomplishing the feat in just eight bouts—faster than heavyweight legends like Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos who needed nine fights, and ahead of notable strikers like Francis Ngannou, Conor McGregor, Anderson Silva, Alex Pereira, and Ilia Topuria. Prates also set the record for fastest accumulation of 14 knockdowns, achieving this in only 17 incomplete rounds, giving him the highest average knockdown rate per 15 minutes of cage time in UFC history. Additionally, he earned seven Performance of the Night bonuses faster than anyone in UFC history, requiring only eight fights compared to the typical 15 fights needed by other fighters. The post notes that Prates consecutively knocked out two former UFC champions who had never been knocked out previously, and highlights one instance where a recent UFC champion was finished by leg kicks while still in peak form. The analysis positions Prates' eight-fight run as one of the top three most spectacular debut runs in UFC history and frames him as a potential historic challenge for Islam Makhachev.
Carlos Prates has cemented his place in UFC history after his first eight fights with the promotion produced a record-breaking run that no fighter in the organization's history has matched across multiple statistical categories.
The Brazilian striker has become the fastest fighter in UFC history to record seven knockout victories, reaching that mark in just eight bouts. That pace surpasses heavyweight legends Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos, who each needed nine fights to reach the same milestone, and puts Prates ahead of acclaimed finishers including Francis Ngannou, Conor McGregor, Anderson Silva, Alex Pereira, and Ilia Topuria.
Prates also owns the record for the fastest accumulation of 14 knockdowns in UFC history, achieving that total across just 17 incomplete rounds — a rate that gives him the highest average knockdowns per 15 minutes of cage time in the promotion's history. He further holds the record for earning seven Performance of the Night bonuses faster than any other fighter, doing so in eight fights compared to the roughly 15 fights typically required by others.
Among the highlights of the run, Prates consecutively knocked out two former UFC champions who had never previously been stopped, and he finished a recent champion by leg kicks while that fighter was still considered to be performing at peak level.
Why it matters
- Prates' record-setting pace puts his debut run among the three most spectacular in UFC history, according to the analysis.
- His knockout record eclipses fighters from multiple weight classes, underlining that his accomplishments carry cross-divisional significance.
- The finishing ability and knockdown volume make him a stylistically unique threat to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, who carries a 28-1 record and holds the pound-for-pound top ranking entering any potential future matchup.
- Seven bonus checks in eight fights signals that Prates consistently delivers the kind of high-impact performances that elevate a fighter's profile rapidly within the promotion.
