Carlos Prates certainly doesn’t work like most elite fighters.
On Saturday at UFC on ESPN 57, Platts knocked out Charlie Radke with a knee to the body. Platts was spotted smoking a cigarette when he learned he would be going home with a $50,000 bonus for his performance.
Before he even knew about the bonus win, Plates revealed he was smoking on the day of the fight. Having been a smoker for more years than he had been a non-smoker, smoking is now a part of life for “Carlao.”
“Since I started smoking, [I was] “When I was 15,” Platz told Full Send MMA, “I spend more time smoking than not smoking, so it’s normal for me. I smoke before a fight and the day of the fight. Now I’m in Louisville, so I’m going to go get some whiskey. It’s the whiskey capital of the world, and I really love whiskey.”
Prates also admits that he is a difficult fighter to train with due to his lifestyle. The 30-year-old, who considers himself more of a fighter than an athlete, claims he faces a lot of criticism for his lavish lifestyle choices. But Prates is committed to working hard and is glad his father and coach have found a way to address the issue.
“I don’t know if it’s good or bad to say it, but I’m not like an athlete. I want to say I’m a fighter, not an athlete,” Prates said. “People say bad things about me because I party, I smoke, I drink. Of course it’s not good, but I know how to find a way… When I come to train, I’m the first one in the gym and the last one to leave. I think sometimes people say bad things and bad things about me because of my lifestyle, but my coach Pablo Flavio and my dad Chris know how to deal with me.”
Prates had a heated exchange with Radke before the bout, and claims he felt Radke’s fear when their foreheads collided and knew he had already won. After the win, Prates was seen speaking with Radke’s teammate and UFC welterweight title challenger Belal Muhammad, and the Brazilian revealed that in the heat of the moment he yelled “remember his name” for a future match.
Prates, a regional veteran, has won 17 of his 19 career fights, including two at the UFC.
