Carlos Prates' nickname 'Nightmare' (Pesadelo) did not come from his fighting style as commonly believed, but from a Brazilian children's television show. In the 2000s, a popular children's program called 'Sítio do Picapau Amarelo' (Yellow Woodpecker's Farm) featured a character named Pesadelo, which translates to 'Nightmare.' Prates' friends thought he resembled this character and nicknamed him accordingly. The author notes they personally don't see the resemblance between Prates and the TV character. The nickname later transitioned perfectly from his personal life into his professional fighting profile as his career developed. Prates is currently on an upward trajectory in his MMA career.
Carlos Prates carries one of the more recognizable nicknames in the welterweight division, but the origin of "The Nightmare" has little to do with what he does inside the octagon.
According to a recent report, Prates picked up the nickname "Pesadelo" — Portuguese for "Nightmare" — not because of his fighting style, but because childhood friends thought he resembled a character from a beloved Brazilian children's television show. The program in question is "Sítio do Picapau Amarelo," or "Yellow Woodpecker's Farm," a long-running series that featured a character named Pesadelo during the 2000s. The nickname stuck through his personal life before following him naturally into his professional career.
Prates, 32, is currently ranked fifth in the UFC welterweight division, competing out of Vale Top Team in Brazil. The six-foot-one southpaw-turned-switch hitter carries a professional record of 24-7 and boasts a 78-inch reach that helps him control range and generate offense from distance. His striking numbers back up the menacing name, regardless of its origins — he lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at an accuracy rate of 55 percent, both figures that place him among the more dangerous hands in the 170-pound class.
Why it matters
- Prates is a top-five welterweight, so any detail adding texture to his public profile draws genuine fan interest
- The story illustrates how fighter nicknames often carry informal, personal histories that differ from the combat-ready image they eventually project
- At 32 with an upward career trajectory, Prates is in the midst of his most relevant stretch, making background stories like this one more visible than they would have been earlier in his career
The reporter who surfaced the origin story noted they personally cannot see the resemblance between the Brazilian contender and the cartoon character — though few opponents stepping across from Prates in the welterweight division would likely dispute the name he grew into.
