Carlos Prates' nickname 'The Nightmare' did not originate from his fighting style as many believe. 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.' Friends thought Prates resembled this character and began calling him by that name. The nickname from his personal life eventually carried over perfectly into his fighting career. Despite the claimed resemblance, the author of the post notes they cannot see any similarity between Prates and the TV character. The story provides insight into how the Brazilian fighter's menacing moniker came about.
Carlos Prates has revealed that his nickname "The Nightmare" has nothing to do with his fighting style and everything to do with a beloved Brazilian children's television show.
Prates, who competes at welterweight and is currently ranked fifth in the division, explained that the moniker traces back to a character called Pesadelo — Portuguese for "Nightmare" — from the classic Brazilian children's series "Sítio do Picapau Amarelo," or "Yellow Woodpecker Farm," which was popular in the 2000s. Friends decided Prates bore a resemblance to the character and the name stuck, eventually following him out of his personal life and into the cage.
The 32-year-old Brazilian southpaw, who fights out of Vale Top Team, carries a professional record of 24-7 and has built a reputation as one of the more dangerous strikers in the welterweight division. Standing six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach, Prates lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at a striking accuracy of 55 percent — numbers that have made the Nightmare nickname feel entirely appropriate regardless of its origins.
Why it matters
- The story adds personal color to one of welterweight's more recognizable monikers, showing how a childhood nickname can take on an unintended second meaning
- Prates sits at number five in the welterweight rankings, meaning his profile and personal story are increasingly under the spotlight
- His switch-stance style and high-volume striking make the "Nightmare" label easy to believe as fight-born, which is precisely what made the real origin worth explaining
Prates himself acknowledged the accidental perfection of the crossover, even as the person sharing the story admitted they could not quite spot the resemblance between the ranked welterweight contender and the animated children's character that started it all.
