Carlos Prates pulled off a comeback finish in his Octagon debut earlier tonight (Sat., Feb. 10, 2024) at UFC Vegas 86 live on ESPN+ from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, stopping welterweight veteran Trevin Giles with an emphatic second-round knockout (punch).
Despite being a 2-1 underdog, Giles was landing at a good clip in the early going. His distance control paired with his crisp boxing started to wear on Prates. The Brazilian is tough, though, so he continued to threaten with counters and strikes from range. However, Giles was simply too busy in all facets of his striking.
It looked like Giles was going to cruise through the second round as well, but Prates wasn’t going to let him off the hook. Prates found a home for a slick knee that dropped Giles’ hands. That’s when Prates launched a blistering left hand that landed flush and instantly put Giles out. Prates didn’t even follow up for an insurance shot.
Check out the video highlights in the above player.
Prates, 30, has now won his last eight professional fights. The Brazilian welterweight looked good during his appearance on The Contender Series last August, but it’s always a different ball game when you’re competing under the bright lights of the Octagon. Prates had to fight through some tough terrain in the early going, but ultimately got the job done.
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