Carlos Prates is a force to be reckoned with! That’s for sure. And like most of the UFC fighters, like Charles Oliveira and former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, the 31-year-old didn’t have an easy life, growing up with a single mother after his father passed away when he was just one year old. Prates knows firsthand what it’s like to battle anger, financial struggles, and the harsh realities of survival. After years of hard work and earning accolades in Muay Thai outside of the UFC, he finally earned his shot in 2024, joining Dana White’s promotion, and the Brazilian hasn’t looked back since.

The 21-6-0 KO artist has taken over the 170lbs division, scoring 4 knockout victories in a row! Moreover, the Brazilian considers his mother his hero. In an episode of UFC Journey on ESPN MMA, before one of his fights, he spoke about how she changed his life, saying, “If my mom didn’t find Muay Thai, probably I would be in prison, I would be dead or something like that.” Recognizing that her son was starting to go down a dangerous path, Prates’ mother made the life-changing decision to put him into MMA when he was 15 years old—and the rest is history.

Today, Prates is motivated by his desire to be there for his daughter in ways life didn’t always make easy for him. While it’s unclear whether he’s married—there’s no public evidence confirming it—Prates often gushes about his daughter. After his first-round knockout win over Charlie Radtke at UFC on ESPN 57 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky, in 2024, he opened up to Yahoo Sports about his future goals. “I have a daughter living in Australia, and Aug. 17 is my birthday. I’d love the UFC to bring me to Australia, fight there, help me visit my daughter, and fight there in front of her,” he said.

Thankfully, the UFC brass stayed true to their word, and Prates faced Li Jingliang at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia. ‘The Nightmare’ secured an impressive third consecutive victory in the Octagon, earning a knockout/TKO win in the second round. After the fight, Prates shared heartfelt moments about the quality time he spent with his daughter during fight week. This made the Aussie PPV event even more special for him.

Carlos Prates opens up about his daughter after UFC 305

The Brazilian is inspired to be better by his role as a father. And during UFC 305 in Perth, he got the chance to spend quality time with his daughter, who lives in Australia. “My daughter is there, and I want to fight there again. She took me to see kangaroos, and we had an amazing 10 days together. I want to go back, and now it’s in Sydney, which is exactly where my daughter lives,” he conveyed to UFC.com.

His love for fighting in the land Down Under is driven more by family than career. Every trip gives him a chance to see his daughter — something that motivates him beyond the Octagon. The Brazilian is making a serious effort to take better care of his body as he prepares for his fight against Ian Garry.

In his last two appearances, Prates dismantled veteran standouts Li Jingliang and Neil Magny. But against Garry — a rising star four years his junior who has already faced a brutal strength of schedule — he faces a new and dangerous challenge.

Still, Prates is ready, as he recently told UFC.com. “Even when I’m fighting three rounds, I’m always training five rounds, so I’m ready. If you have to fight seven rounds or something like that, it doesn’t matter. I’m going to be fighting, and I’m going to get the win.”

Can Carlos Prates make his daughter proud again by pushing his win streak to five? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!