Carlos Prates' nickname 'The Nightmare' has an unexpected origin story unrelated to his fighting style. In the 2000s, a popular Brazilian children's show called 'Sítio do Picapau Amarelo' (Yellow Woodpecker Farm) featured a character named Pesadelo, which translates to 'Nightmare.' Prates' friends believed he resembled this character and gave him the nickname, which later transferred perfectly to his fighting career. The nickname has since become synonymous with his performances in the cage.
Carlos Prates has one of the more memorable nicknames in the UFC's welterweight division, but the story behind it has nothing to do with what he does inside the cage. The Brazilian contender revealed that "The Nightmare" traces back to a children's television character, not his fighting reputation.
In the 2000s, a beloved Brazilian kids' show called Sitio do Picapau Amarelo, which translates roughly to Yellow Woodpecker Farm, featured a character named Pesadelo — the Portuguese word for nightmare. Friends of Prates noticed a resemblance between him and the character and the nickname stuck. When he transitioned into professional fighting, the moniker followed him and took on an entirely new meaning.
Prates, now 32 years old, competes at welterweight and currently sits at number five in the divisional rankings. The Brazil native trains out of Vale Top Team and carries a professional record of 24 wins and 7 losses. He fights out of a switch stance and possesses a generous 78-inch reach on a six-foot-one frame, giving him a notable physical presence at 170 pounds. His striking output backs up the fearsome nickname in practice — he lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at an accuracy rate of 55 percent, numbers that place him among the more reliable offensive strikers in the division.
Why it matters
- The origin story adds a human and cultural dimension to one of welterweight's more recognized personal brands
- Prates' nickname aligns naturally with his aggressive striking style, making the coincidence all the more fitting
- As a top-five ranked welterweight, his profile continues to grow, making background details like this more widely relevant to fans
