Carlos Prates argued in a podcast interview that Brazilian fighters carry a tougher street upbringing than American or Caucasian fighters, shaping a different code of conduct. He referenced comments Khamzat Chimaev made to Sean Strickland about his father, calling them out of line, and also cited remarks by Josh Hokit directed at Poatan as something he found deeply offensive. Prates also referenced past trash talk from Colby Covington involving Ian Garry's wife as another example of behavior he views as crossing a line that Brazilians would not tolerate.
Carlos Prates used a recent podcast appearance to draw a sharp distinction between the street-hardened upbringings he says Brazilian fighters share and the backgrounds of their American and Caucasian counterparts, arguing that cultural roots shape an unwritten code of conduct inside and outside the cage.
Prates, 32, carries a 24-7 record and currently sits ranked fifth in the UFC welterweight division. Fighting out of Vale Top Team, the Brazilian switch-hitter connects on 55 percent of his significant strikes and lands 3.77 per minute, numbers that reflect a precise, measured approach to violence. He made clear on the podcast that he views certain forms of trash talk as a line no fighter raised the way he was would willingly cross.
Three specific examples drew his sharpest criticism. He called out comments Khamzat Chimaev directed at Sean Strickland regarding Strickland's father, describing them as out of bounds. He was equally disturbed by remarks Josh Hokit made targeting Alex Pereira, which Prates found deeply offensive. He also pointed to past comments Colby Covington made about Ian Garry's wife as further evidence of behavior Brazilians would not accept as legitimate competitive posturing.
Chimaev, the top-ranked middleweight at 32 years old and currently fighting out of Allstars Training Center, holds a 15-1 record and is ranked tenth pound-for-pound. Strickland, the reigning middleweight champion, is 35 years old with a 31-7 record and lands a striking volume of 6.04 significant strikes per minute, among the highest in the division.
Why it matters
- Prates is inserting himself into multiple high-profile divisional conversations across welterweight and middleweight simultaneously
- His comments add cultural dimension to ongoing tensions between Chimaev and Strickland, the current 185-pound champion
- The remarks signal that the Brazilian fighter community may increasingly push back on personal attacks as a promotional tool
