Despite his rising success in the UFC, top welterweight contender Carlos Prates is already contemplating his retirement. The Brazilian fighter, currently ranked No. 2, has expressed his desire to compete for only a few more years.
The 32-year-old has an impressive UFC record of 7-1, with every win secured by knockout. His most recent victory came against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC Perth, where he won via TKO in the third round. Following back-to-back finishes against former champions, Prates feels confident about his next fight, believing it will be for the welterweight title.
However, in a recent conversation with Ariel Helwani, Prates admitted that he is already grappling with significant physical discomfort. He disclosed that he experiences daily back pain and severe footache, to the point where he never wakes up feeling completely pain-free. This persistent discomfort is leading him to consider an earlier end to his professional fighting career.
Prates indicated that he does not wish to prolong his suffering from post-training pain and has set a retirement timeline of three to four more years.
He stated:
“When I wake up and get out of bed, brother, I can’t even walk properly. I need to wait 20 minutes. I need to wait for my back pain to subside, my feet.”
During the same interview, Prates also expressed interest in a potential super-fight with Ilia Topuria, should Topuria move up to the welterweight division after capturing the featherweight title. This suggests that before stepping away from the sport, Prates is aiming for lucrative, high-profile matchups.
Carlos Prates’ Unconventional Sleep Habits
Adding to the discussion about his physical condition, Prates revealed that he doesn’t adhere to the typical athlete’s sleep schedule of 7-8 hours for optimal recovery. He confessed to Ariel Helwani that he is not fond of long periods of sleep, usually getting only about four hours on a typical night.
He elaborated on his sleep pattern:
“Brother, I can’t sleep too much. On normal days, I sleep about 4 hours. I go to sleep around 11 or midnight, and at 1:30 AM, I wake up and stay awake all night. Then I go to sleep again around 6:30 AM until 8:30/9 AM, and then I go to the gym.”