UFC welterweight star Carlos Prates has shed light upon how he’s struggling to quit chain-smoking. “The Nightmare” suggested that he’s trying to cut down on the habit but tends to give in to the urge, particularly in the aftermath of his fights.
Carlos Prates Talks Struggling With Quitting Chain-Smoking
The Sao Paulo, Brazil-based “Fighting Nerds” camp has piqued the attention of the MMA community with some of its fighters’ incredible performances recently. One of the fighters happens to be UFC welterweight contender Carlos Prates, a self-admitted smoker and partygoer.
In a previous conversation with Full Send MMA, he had mentioned being a chain smoker despite competing at the highest levels in the sport of MMA.
Prates is currently on an 11-fight win streak and is coming off a thunderous knockout victory against UFC welterweight staple Neil Magny in November 2024. Certain sections of the MMA community view him as a potential future UFC champion.
In a recent interview with Full Send MMA, Prates said he was trying to quit smoking and adopt a healthier lifestyle. However, there are obstacles, as is often the case with substance addiction issues.
When asked for his message to all the chain-smokers ahead of his upcoming fight, Prates stated, “I’m trying to smoke less. You know? But after a fight, there are a lot of emotions and a lot of things going on. Probably, I’m gonna get one beer. And then, if I get beer, I cannot stay without smokes. So yeah, that’s it.”
Carlos Prates Is Trying to Turn His Lifestyle Around
Earlier in the same interview, Prates implied that he’s steadily attempting to change a few habits to go from simply being a fighter to being an elite athlete to improve his combat performance further.
He explained, “You know, guys, now I’m trying to be more (athletic). You know? Before, I was a fighter — usually, I like to say I’m a fighter. I don’t need to run a marathon, or eat good things, or things like that.”
The Dana White’s Contender Series alum continued, “But now, I’m trying to be more athlete than fighter. You know? And I am getting good habits — slow by slow, step by step — but I am trying.”
In an interview with Ariel Helwani earlier in April, Prates admitted that he does not change his smoking habits much leading up to the fight. He keeps it at eight to 10 cigarettes a day, which he said is less than what he would usually smoke.
In a previous interview with Sherdog, Prates confessed that he started smoking when he was 12-13 years old.
Prates will next take on Ian Machado Garry in a five-round welterweight bout. They’ll headline UFC Kansas City, which goes down at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., on April 26, 2025. The consensus is that the victor of their fight could be catapulted into the title picture at 170 pounds.
View this post on Instagram