Carlos Prates argued in a podcast interview that Brazilian fighters carry a different kind of life experience compared to their American and Caucasian counterparts, citing the culture around personal respect on the street. He was particularly critical of trash talk targeting fighters' family members, pointing to exchanges involving Khamzat Chimaev, Sean Strickland, and Colby Covington as examples of lines he believes cross a line. Prates said he would have reacted physically had such comments been directed at him.
Carlos Prates used a recent podcast appearance to draw a sharp distinction between the life experiences of Brazilian fighters and those from the United States, arguing that growing up in Brazil instills a particular understanding of respect that shapes how fighters carry themselves inside and outside competition.
Prates, 32, holds a 24-7 record and is currently ranked fifth in the UFC welterweight division. The Brazilian southpaw out of Vale Top Team stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach and has built a reputation as a dangerous striker, connecting on 55 percent of his significant strikes. He made clear during the interview that certain forms of trash talk — specifically comments directed at a fighter's family — cross a line he would not tolerate personally, stating he would have responded physically if such remarks had been aimed at him.
The fighters he cited as examples were Khamzat Chimaev, Sean Strickland, and Colby Covington. Strickland, 35, is the reigning middleweight champion fighting out of Xtreme Couture and is known for an unusually high output of 6.04 significant strikes per minute. Chimaev, also 32, sits at number one in the middleweight rankings and number ten pound-for-pound, carrying a 15-1 record and an exceptional 60 percent striking accuracy alongside 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes for Allstars Training Center.
Why it matters
- Prates is a ranked welterweight contender, so his comments carry weight within an active division
- His remarks touch on broader tensions around trash talk culture in MMA, particularly when family members are involved
- The fighters he named — a champion, a top contender, and a known provocateur — suggest the issue extends across multiple divisions and styles
