Welcome to the main event, Carlos Prates. The budding welterweight likely punched his ticket into the UFC's official top 15 welterweight rankings when he defeated veteran fighter Neil Magny (No. 15) on the highlight reel on Saturday.
Prates and the Fighting Nerds contributed to one of the best 12-month runs of any mixed martial arts team. Prates, Caio Borralho, Jean Silva and Mauricio Ruffy are 10-0 combined in 2024 following the last UFC Fight Night main event. Prates defeated the most experienced welterweight in UFC history, defeating Magny with 10 seconds left in round 1.
Prates found his strength after demonstrating his ability to handle attack pressure and fend off takedown defense. Prates dropped Magny with a sneaky short elbow late in Round 1. Magny, a 41-fight veteran, recovered from the initial defeat but could not survive much longer. With 10 seconds left, Prates uncorked a short right cross to his opponent's temple. Magny hit the ground face first and lay there for a short time.
“This year has been the best year of my life and career so far,” Prates told UFC commentator Michael Bisping after the fight at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. “To be honest I think the perfect next fight for me would be in Australia. I have a daughter there and would like to see her. Next I would like to fight Jack Della Maddalena. I think I would too.” “A good fight against Geoff Neal.”
It wouldn't be a surprise to see Prates complete the three-month turnaround for UFC 312 on February 9 in Sydney, Australia. Prates fought four times this year, with his shortest turnaround being nine weeks.
Prates improved to 20-6 and extended his knockout streak to 10. The Brazilian fighter is undefeated in five outings under the UFC umbrella. Magny (29-12) now has to lose two fights for the first time in 11 years.
