Carlos Prates put the welterweight division on notice earlier tonight (Sat., Aug. 17, 2024) at UFC 305 LIVE on ESPN+ PPV from inside RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, after brutally stopping veteran Li Jingliang with a nasty second-round knockout (punch).
Jingliang is certainly the most seasoned fighter Prates has ever fought, but that didn’t stop the rising welterweight prospect from putting on an absolute clinic on the feet. He had Jingliang hurt multiple times in the first round, including a collection of left hands that ultimately resulted in a knockdown. Keep in mind that Jingliang had never been finished by strikes coming into UFC 305.
The toughness of Jingliang allowed him to fight into the second round, but it eventually wore off. Prates was simply too precise with his shots. He was connecting at will and ended up folding Jingling with one final left hand. It was a nasty finish and an early favorite for Performance of the Night.
Check out the video highlights below:
THE LEFT HAND SAT DOWN THE LEECH #UFC305 pic.twitter.com/19lUx7UUeT
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) August 18, 2024
CARLOS PRATES PUTS THE LEECH OUT FACEFIRST IN HIS TOUGHEST FIGHT YET #UFC305 pic.twitter.com/WTGucGo3BT
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) August 18, 2024
Prates, 31, is now 3-0 as a member of the UFC’s welterweight division and has finished all of those wins by knockout. This was supposed to be a tougher test for the Brazilian striker, but Prates looked better than ever. It would be surprising if he didn’t get a ranked opponent his next time out.
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