Carlos Prates' 'Nightmare' nickname inspired by Brazilian children's TV character

Carlos Prates' nickname 'The Nightmare' has an unexpected origin story unrelated to his fighting style. The moniker comes from a 2000s Brazilian children's television show called 'Sítio do Picapau Amarelo' (Yellow Woodpecker Farm), which featured a character named Pesadelo, meaning 'Nightmare' in Portuguese. Prates' friends thought he resembled this character and nicknamed him accordingly, though Prates himself sees no similarity between them. The nickname, which started as a personal joke among friends, eventually transitioned perfectly into his professional fighting career. Despite being on an impressive run in the UFC, the origins of his fighting name remain rooted in childhood television rather than his devastating performances in the octagon.