Carlos Prates: Bio, Net Worth, Record & Next UFC Fight (2026 Update)

Carlos “The Nightmare” Prates (23-7) is one of the most exciting and explosive strikers in the UFC Welterweight division. A standout member of the viral “Fighting Nerds” team from São Paulo, Prates has rapidly ascended the rankings with a string of devastating knockouts. Known for his elite Muay Thai pedigree and signature “nerd” glasses worn during walkouts, he has become a fan favorite for his relaxed demeanor outside the cage and calculated violence inside it.

In 2025, Prates solidified his status as a top contender, bouncing back from a competitive decision loss to Ian Machado Garry by securing a massive knockout victory over former champion Leon Edwards at UFC 322.

Whether you are looking for his current net worth, his fight record, details on the Fighting Nerds team for his potential title run, this comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about the Brazilian standout.

Quick Stats: Carlos Prates

Carlos Prates Net Worth 2025: How Much Does He Make?

Carlos Prates’ net worth is estimated at $700,000 to $1 million as of late 2025. This figure stems from UFC fight purses, performance bonuses, and endorsements, marking a sharp rise from his pre-UFC days on regional circuits.

Key earnings breakdown:

• UFC Contract: Signed a six-fight deal in January 2025 with a $250,000 base purse per fight, plus $100,000 win bonuses (projecting $2 million+ over the term if he maintains his pace).
• Career UFC Earnings: Over $1.5 million disclosed from seven fights (6-1 record), including PPV points (~$200,000–$300,000). Highlights: $400,000 for his November 2024 KO of Neil Magny (highest at the time) and $150,000+ for his August 2024 PPV debut KO of Li Jingliang.
• Bonuses: Six Performance of the Night awards (most among active welterweights), each $50,000.
• Endorsements: ~$150,000–$175,000 annually from deals with Maximum Boxing (custom gear with his scorpion logo), Vitality Nutrition, Lombardi apparel, and Farma Conde supplements. He prioritizes “brands that believed in me early.”
• Other Assets: Owns a $400,000 condo in São Paulo’s Moema district, a used Toyota Corolla (~$25,000), stakes in a local BJJ academy, and modest crypto investments (Bitcoin, up 40% in 2025). He supports family, funding their first international vacation in 2024.

Projections suggest $3–5 million by 2027 if he contends for the title, though risks like injuries could impact this.

Biography: The Nightmare from São Paulo

Carlos “The Nightmare” Prates—born Carlos Augusto Monteiro Prates on August 17, 1993, in Taubaté, São Paulo, Brazil—is a 32-year-old professional mixed martial artist competing in the UFC welterweight division (170 lbs). Raised by a single mother in a financially difficult environment, Prates discovered martial arts at age 15 as a way to stay out of trouble, beginning his journey with Muay Thai at Vale Top Team.

Prates is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and trains at The Fighting Nerds gym in São Paulo, where he combines sharp Muay Thai technique with explosive knockout power. His training routine typically includes morning runs, Muay Thai striking sessions, and afternoon grappling or strength work.

His early MMA career started in 2012 and was challenging—he opened with a 5–4 record across nine fights. Everything changed after he moved to Thailand for six years to refine his Muay Thai. There, he became a Bangla Stadium champion before returning to MMA in 2016. He picked up notable wins in Asia, including appearances in the ONE Championship Warrior Series, and later claimed the SFT welterweight title in 2021 in Brazil.

Prates earned his UFC contract through Dana White’s Contender Series in August 2023, securing a second-round TKO over Mitch Ramirez. Known for his 78% finish rate and knockout-heavy style, he credits Anderson Silva as his biggest influence. Outside the cage, he has a daughter living in Australia, whom he visits whenever possible.

His nickname, “The Nightmare,” comes from Brazilian promoters who struggled to find opponents willing to face him. As of November 25, 2025, Carlos Prates is ranked #6 in the UFC welterweight division.

Where Does Carlos Prates Live and Train?

Carlos “The Nightmare” Prates, the #6-ranked UFC welterweight, is based in his hometown of Taubaté, São Paulo, Brazil, where he lives and maintains his primary training roots with Vale Top Team (VTT). Taubaté—a city of around 320,000 residents—has shaped Prates since birth. Born on August 17, 1993, and raised by a single mother, he often credits the city’s tough environment for his early resilience and fighting mindset.

The Gym: Fighting Nerds HQ

To sharpen his elite skill set, Prates makes a two-hour commute each way from Taubaté to São Paulo city, where he trains at The Fighting Nerds headquarters (formerly Combat Club). This top-level facility serves as his main performance center. Prates calls the routine exhausting but essential:

“Wake up at six in the morning, drive to São Paulo to train at nine, train, and then back to my city.”

Despite the grind, he considers the commute a “big motivation” that drives his preparation for high-level UFC competition.

UFC profiles describe him as training exclusively with the Brazil-based Fighting Nerds team, where he blends Muay Thai striking, grappling, and strength work alongside teammates like Caio Borralho and Jean Silva. The team is known for its tight-knit culture—often traveling together and supporting each other at major events, including multiple group victories in early 2025.

Prates continues to represent both Vale Top Team and Fighting Nerds, using a condo in São Paulo’s upscale Moema district during heavy training camps. This dual-lifestyle setup keeps him grounded in Taubaté while giving him access to world-class coaching and resources in São Paulo—an approach that fuels his 78% knockout rate and rise as a legitimate UFC title contender.

Fight Record & Career Highlights

Professional Record: 23 Wins, 7 Losses.

Prates holds a professional MMA record of 23-7-0 (wins-losses-draws), with 18 knockouts/TKOs (78%), 3 submissions (13%), and 2 decisions (9%). He’s finished 10 opponents in the first round and won 13 of his last 14 fights (all by KO/TKO except one decision in 2019). Losses: 2 KO/TKO (29%), 3 submissions (43%), 2 decisions (29%). UFC record: 6-1 over 7 fights since 2024 debut.

(Pre-UFC record: 17-6, including SFT welterweight title win via fifth-round body punch KO in 2021.)

Stats (UFC averages per 15 minutes): 3.77 significant strikes landed (55% accuracy), 4.53 absorbed (48% defense), 0.21 takedowns (100% accuracy), 80% takedown defense, 2.13 knockdowns. 94% strikes landed standing; targets: 54% head, 25% body, 21% leg.

Carlos Prates’s Next Fight?

As of December 12, 2025, Carlos Prates has no scheduled fight. Following his knockout win over former champion Leon Edwards at UFC 322 on November 15, 2025—which propelled him to #6 in the rankings—he’s expressed readiness for title contention. Prates has publicly called for Jack Della Maddalena in April 2026 if no title shot materializes (with Kamaru Usman potentially next for champion Islam Makhachev). He plans a short break after his seven-fight streak (six KOs in 20 months) but remains open to opportunities. UFC CEO Dana White has teased “big things” for him in early 2026. Keep an eye on UFC announcements for updates.

Personal Life: Girlfriend, Mother & Lifestyle

1. Personal Life

Carlos “The Nightmare” Prates lives with a bold, unapologetic energy outside the Octagon. He mixes intense training with a wild, hedonistic edge that has become just as famous as his knockout power. At 32, the Brazilian welterweight believes in balance—hours of hard work in the gym paired with habits that often surprise fans in the fitness-obsessed MMA world.

Prates openly rejects the “athlete” label. Instead, he calls himself a fighter, someone built through real-world grit rather than strict routines. That mindset goes back to his tough childhood in Taubaté, São Paulo. As a teenager, he got into street fights, drinking, and smoking until his mother enrolled him in Muay Thai at age 15. Prates has said many times that martial arts saved his life: “If my mom didn’t find Muay Thai, I would probably be in prison. I would be dead or something like that.”

Even with elite cardio and high-volume striking, he sees his vices as harmless outlets that help him stay grounded. “I’m not an athlete… sometimes I go to parties or smoke or drink. Of course it’s not good, but I know how to find a way.”

After fights, he often celebrates with whiskey or beer. He once lit a cigarette mid-interview after learning he earned a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus for knocking out Charles Radtke in June 2024.

His “rockstar” vibe—tattoos, scorpion logos, video games, and a carefree attitude—stands in funny contrast to his team’s “Fighting Nerds” brand. But that edge fuels him mentally. Even UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev joked about his November 2025 KO of Leon Edwards, saying, “I’m surprised how this guy smokes all day and beats a former champ.”

2. Family

Prates’ family keeps him grounded, especially as he moves around the world for training. He grew up in financial hardship after his father passed away when Carlos was just one year old. His single mother became his foundation and biggest supporter. He also has a young daughter in Australia from a previous relationship. Though they live far apart, he visits whenever he can and says she motivates him to push harder in his career.

His extended family shares the excitement of his UFC run. In 2024, he paid for them to take their first international trip—one of the perks of his rising success.

Mother: Regina Prates

Regina is the heart of his story. She raised him alone, pushed him into martial arts to keep him out of trouble, and still gives him brutally honest pep talks before fights. Before his bout with Ian Machado Garry in April 2025, she told him: “Finish the war quickly. The way mommy likes it.”

Even after his shocking KO of Leon Edwards in November 2025, she said: “Cool, thanks, but I didn’t like him taking your back.”

Prates often dedicates his wins to her and jokes that if he had to pick between Khabib Nurmagomedov or his mom as a coach, he’d choose her—“because she’ll let me go to the party and smoke.”

Girlfriend

Prates is in a committed relationship, but he fiercely protects his girlfriend’s privacy. Although he has over 200k followers on Instagram, he rarely posts anything about her. No name, photos, or public info have surfaced as of December 2025. He simply mentions that he enjoys spending downtime “with my girlfriend and my friends, party.”

In a 2025 interview, he said his family—including his girlfriend—gives him extra motivation. Still, he keeps her away from the spotlight, focusing publicly on his daughter and mother. Whenever fans speculate online, he shuts it down: “There is not much information available about my marital status.”

3. Lifestyle

Carlos Prates lives a life of controlled chaos. His training schedule is intense—running in the mornings, Muay Thai drilling in the afternoons, lifting in the evenings. He’s usually the first to arrive and the last to leave at The Fighting Nerds gym in São Paulo. But outside the gym, he doesn’t pretend to live like a textbook athlete.

Smoking Habit

Prates has been smoking since he was around 12 or 13, and he still smokes 8–10 cigarettes a day—even during fight week. Fans can’t believe he maintains elite cardio with his pace, accuracy, and 78% finish rate. He tried quitting once but says he immediately “got fat and lazy.”

Yes, he even smokes on fight day: “I smoke before the fight, on the day of the fight.”

A 2025 vlog showed him lighting up during training for the Garry fight. When teased about it, he laughed: “I’m trying to smoke a little bit less… to get heavier and stronger.”

Fans constantly joke about his habit, but his coaches (and his mother) don’t intervene—because it hasn’t slowed him down yet.

Partying and Drinking

Nicknamed the “Romário of MMA,” Prates loves nightlife. He avoids alcohol for 1.5–2 months before a fight but admits staying away from parties is harder than staying away from drinks.

After a win, he celebrates big—with whiskey shots, beers, cigars, and jokes about being a “known alcohol addict” (in a self-deprecating way). He says: “If I get beer, I cannot stay without smokes.”

Despite the partying, he maintains strong discipline during camps and continues climbing the welterweight ladder, currently sitting around the top-10 range.

Betting Analysis: Strengths & Weaknesses

Prates is a sniper. His Muay Thai is technical, accurate, and devastatingly powerful.

✅ Strengths (When to Bet ON Prates)

1. Knockout Power: He has 18 career KOs. He doesn’t just hurt people; he puts them to sleep. His “Walk-off” KOs are his signature.
2. Accuracy: He lands with surgical precision. He doesn’t waste energy; every shot is calculated to find the chin or liver.
3. Takedown Defense: Against Neil Magny and others, he showed excellent balance and hips (92% TD defense), forcing grapplers to stand with him.

❌ Weaknesses (When to Bet AGAINST Prates)

1. Elite Wrestling Pressure: While his defense is good, Ian Machado Garry was able to control him in grappling exchanges and keep him on the back foot. A dominant wrestler like Shavkat or Belal Muhammad presents his toughest stylistic test.
2. Volume vs. Technicians: In the Garry fight, he was slightly out-volumed by a taller, rangy striker who refused to brawl.

FAQ: Common Questions About Carlos Prates

1. Who is Carlos Prates?
Carlos “The Nightmare” Prates is a 32-year-old Brazilian UFC welterweight fighter from Taubaté, São Paulo. He debuted in the UFC in 2024 and is known for his explosive Muay Thai-based striking.

2. What is Carlos Prates’ UFC record?
As of December 2025, Prates has a professional MMA record of 23-7, with 18 knockouts. His UFC record is 6-1, including notable KO wins over Leon Edwards, Geoff Neal, and Neil Magny.

3. Does Carlos Prates really smoke cigarettes?
Yes, Prates openly smokes 8-10 cigarettes a day, even during fight camps and on fight day. He started as a teen and says it helps with stress and weight cuts, despite his elite cardio.

4. Who is Carlos Prates’ mother?
His mother is Regina Prates, a single parent who raised him through hardship. She’s his biggest supporter and gives him tough pre-fight advice, like “finish the war quickly.”

5. Does Carlos Prates have a girlfriend or family?
Prates has a young daughter living in Australia from a previous relationship, whom he visits often. He is in a committed relationship but keeps his girlfriend’s identity private.

6. What is Carlos Prates’ net worth?
Estimated at $700,000 to $1 million as of late 2025, from UFC purses, multiple Performance bonuses, and endorsements.

7. What is Carlos Prates’ nickname and why?
“The Nightmare” – Brazilian promoters struggled to find opponents for him due to his knockout reputation.

8. When did Carlos Prates join the UFC?
He earned his contract via Dana White’s Contender Series in August 2023 with a TKO win over Mitch Ramirez.

9. What is Carlos Prates’ fighting style?
Primarily Muay Thai striking with knockout power (78% finish rate), honed over six years in Thailand. He also holds a BJJ black belt and trains at The Fighting Nerds gym.

10. What is Carlos Prates’ next fight?
As of December 12, 2025, no fight is scheduled. After KO’ing Leon Edwards in November 2025, he’s eyeing a title shot or eliminator in 2026, possibly against Jack Della Maddalena.