Carlos Prates has harsh phrases for followers who consider Neil Magny didn’t give it his all.
On Saturday night time, Prates confronted Magny in the principle occasion of UFC Vegas 100, knocking out the longtime UFC veteran on the finish of the primary spherical. It was the fourth end of Prates’s 2024 marketing campaign, and earned him his fourth efficiency bonus of the yr, however the end was not with out some detractors.
Although Prates dropped Magny early within the spherical, the ending blow that face-planted “The Haitian Sensation” was a curious little left hook that appeared to clip Magny’s temple as a substitute of land flush like many followers have come to anticipate with such knockouts. In consequence, some followers took to social media to query Magny’s willingness to battle, even suggesting Magny took a dive. However Prates has no time for that nonsense.
“I believe they need to come right here and let me give a punch on his head,” Prates stated in his post-fight scrum. “Then after they will discuss.
“You understand after I fought Li Jingliang? It was the identical the primary knockdown. I hit his head after which he goes down. I believe Neil Magny was the identical. I prepare loads of boxing, many instances. Perhaps 4 instances per week. Bro, my hand, after I punch you, regardless of how or the place, you’re going to get harm.
“On the top is totally different on the face. On the face you get a little bit bit dizzy. However on the top you chop your legs and don’t really feel nothing and then you definately come again. So I believe individuals speaking shit, they need to come right here and let me hit his head after which they’ll discuss after.”
Magny presently holds a lot of UFC divisional data together with most fights, wins, strikes, and selections in UFC welterweight historical past. His 34 fights within the promotion make him tied with Jeremy Stephens at sixth-most fights all-time within the UFC. So given his lengthy historical past with the UFC and quite a few accolades, it’s truthful for Prates to offer little credence to the concept that Magny merely wished out.
What Prates does give credence to is the place he goes from right here. Magny is presently ranked No. 15 within the UFC welterweight rankings, which means Prates is more likely to take his spot when these replace this coming week. Quickly to be a ranked fighter in simply his first yr with the promotion, Prates now hopes he can maintain this speedy upward momentum with a battle towards No. 4-ranked contender Jack Della Maddalena when the UFC heads to Maddalena’s residence nation of Australia in February for UFC 312.
“To be sincere, I believe the best choice could be towards Jack Della Maddalena, however you may have the rank,” Prates stated. “I believe he’s No. 4 and doubtless subsequent Tuesday I can be 15. So I don’t know if he’s going to just accept the battle. Additionally, if the UFC goes to do this battle, in the event that they suppose it’s attention-grabbing or one thing like that. But when it’s up to now and the UFC and Jack Della Maddalena don’t agree with that battle, I’d be completely happy combating towards Geoff Neal in all probability could be cool.”
And if neither of these work out, that’s high quality too. For Prates, even making this far is already a dream, and one that’s shortly altering his life.
“It’s a dream,” Prates stated about his unbelievable 2024 run. “Just a few years in the past — not a number of years in the past, I believe two years in the past, one yr and a half I used to be combating for perhaps $200. Now I’m doing some huge cash. It’s a dream. I labored onerous for this for a few years and I’m actually completely happy.”
