UFC Vegas 100’s Carlos Prates has been ‘paying the price for being here today’ for 16 years

Alexander Behunin specializes in running MMAmania.com's various social media accounts, as well as covering live UFC events, interviewing the sports biggest stars and personalities.

It’s been a ride for “The Nightmare.”

Carlos Prates competes in his first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) main event at UFC Vegas 100 this weekend (Sat., Nov. 9, 2024) when he faces long-time UFC veteran Neil Magny from inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Prates has been on an absolute roll since grabbing a UFC contract on season six of Contender Series. The Welterweight has knocked out all three of his opponents - Trevin Giles, Charles Radke, and Li Jingliang (watch highlights) - in spectacular fashion to win three Performance of the Night bonuses.

While he is on track to become a real threat in the 170 lb division, it was not easy.

“Since when I was 15 years old, when I started training, I have been paying the price for being here today,” Prates told UFC.com. In 2015, I left my country, left my family, my friends to go live in Thailand. I spent almost six years there, so I like to say I paid the price and now I’m here.”

In addition to being away from his family for six years, the Brazilian alternated wins and losses during a stretch of his career from 2012 to 2017, which heavily detoured his path to reaching the UFC. However, after 2019, something clicked, and he has not lost since and is riding a 10-fight win streak.

With a win at UFC Vegas 100 against Magny, the self-proclaimed “gatekeeper” for the Welterweight division, Prates will jump into the UFC Top 15 rankings, snatching Magny’s No. 15 spot.

Currently, Prates is the biggest favorite on UFC Vegas 100 - sitting at -900, according to Fan Duel.

LIVE! Stream UFC Vegas 100 On ESPN+

WELTERWEIGHT WARTIME! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to its APEX venue in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sat., Nov. 9, 2024, with an important Welterweight main event between battle-tested veteran and No. 15-ranked contender Neil Magny as he takes on fast-rising “Contender Series” phenom Carlos Prates. In addition, former Bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt returns to face off against red-hot Miles Johns in UFC Vegas 100’s hard-hitting co-headliner.

Don’t miss a single second of face-punching action!

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MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 100 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+ preliminary card matchups which are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining main card balance on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 100 news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive here. For the updated and finalized “Magny vs. Prates” fight card and ESPN+ lineup click here.