Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coach, Javier Mendez, lavished Carlos Prates with accolades for his standout performance against Li Jingliang at UFC 305.
Prates added another show-stopping finish to his resume last weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia, where he made history by becoming the first to knock out Chinese veteran Jingliang.
CARLOS PRATES HAS ARRIVED!
What an incredible knockout! #UFC305
[ LIVE NOW on @ESPNPlus PPV ] pic.twitter.com/oeTEDXO10G
— UFC (@ufc) August 18, 2024
“The Nightmare” wielded his straight left like a guided missile, landing it repeatedly throughout the night and forcing Jingliang to retreat towards the fence. Once “The Leech” was cornered in the second round, the Brazilian unleashed a devastating right hook, immediately followed by a thunderous left hook that shattered Jingliang’s defenses and sent him collapsing to the canvas.
With three fights and three spectacular finishes in the UFC, coupled with an impressive performance on Dana White’s Contender Series that secured his contract, Prates has swiftly become a fan favorite, even earning the admiration of Mendez, thanks to his lethal striking artistry…
Mendez Hails Prates’ Striking As ‘Something To Behold’
During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Mendez shared his admiration for Prates’ performance at UFC 305. The head coach at American Kickboxing Academy praised ‘The Nightmare’ for his elite striking skills, which he noted are seamlessly combined with an impressive fight IQ. Mendez also expressed his eagerness to see more of Prates, especially his ground game, in future bouts.
“You remember I told you I never seen Carlos Prates?” Mendez said. “And what an unbelievable, calm, relaxed sniper that guy is. When he hurt Li, he didn’t even go for the kill; he kept his distance and kept picking him apart. I was so, so impressed with him, and now I understand why he was the favorite and why they’re so high on him. This guy, his striking—man, he’s something to behold. Let’s see what he does with the ground game, because there was no ground game with Li Jingliang.”
“He didn’t even try to take him down, and he’s never been stopped either, so this guy just kept picking him apart, you know, with sniper shots. I mean, God, it was unbelievable. I was very, very impressed with his fight IQ—very impressive fighter. Looking forward to seeing him again. Next time I see something with him on it, I’ll definitely tune in because he’s impressive to watch.”
“The Nightmare” has now demolished nine consecutive opponents by knockout, including every one of his Octagon appearances, with no opponent surviving beyond the second round. With such explosive knockout prowess, Prates is positioning himself as a formidable force in the UFC, with a bright future as a serious title contender on the horizon.
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