What do Carlos Prates' tattoos mean? Exploring the meaning behind UFC star's inkwork

Carlos Prates is a star in the making in the UFC, as evidenced by his knockout prowess over the years in his professional career. Prates is one of the top fighters from the 'Fighting Nerds' gym to compete in the promotion who hasn't tasted defeat in the octagon yet.

Prates will look to improve his ranking with a potential win over No. 7-ranked Ian Machado Garry in a welterweight bout. The two are set to headline UFC Kansas City this weekend at T-Mobile Center.

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What do Carlos Prates' tattoos mean?

Carlos Prates is a free-spirited individual with numerous tattoos on his body. Prates spent his early years in Thailand, where he developed his Muay Thai skills, gaining the ability to knock opponents unconscious. The Brazilian is inspired by 'Muay Thai,' which is inked on his chest.

Prates has an Ogun tattoo above his chest. Some African faiths believe Ogun is a warrior and a strong metalworking spirit. The Brazilian, who came from a poor background, also had 'Nothing can stop me’ written on the side of his neck.

Prates covered his entire back with four clowns ahead of the Neil Magny bout at UFC Vegas 100 last year. Three of them were different variations of 'The Joker' from DC comics, while the fourth was 'Sweet Tooth' from the video game series Twisted Metal. He got his nickname, 'The Nightmare,' inked above his clown tattoos.

Prates has full-sleeve tattoos all over both arms. The 31-year-old has a crafty skull on top of a mysterious female figure on his left. Meanwhile, his right arm bears the image of an angelic kid with the words 'one life no choice' written underneath. He also has the word 'danger' written on his left leg.

As for the MMA scene, Prates holds a professional record of 21-6 and is 4-0 in the promotion. Notably, in his current 11-fight win streak, 10 of them came via knockout finishes. In his last octagon outing against Magny, he secured an opening-round knockout win.