Closed mouths don’t get fed in the UFC.
The UFC 319 main card is underway, with champion Dricus du Plessis taking on the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of the evening.
Top welterweights also collided in Chicago as the ‘Fighting Nerds’ star Carlos Prates was rebooked against perennial contender Geoff Neal.
Coming off his first UFC loss to Ian Machado Garry in April, Prates rebounded with a ferocious spinning elbow knockout of Neal in the opening round of their welterweight bout.
Prates knew exactly what he wanted after becoming the first man to knock out Neal.
Carlos Prates asked Dana White to sign friend to UFC in post-fight interview
Prates asked UFC boss Dana White for a few things in his post-fight interview.
On the top of his list, Prates wants to fight at UFC Rio on Oct. 11, which is an upcoming Fight Night event in his home country of Brazil.
“Tomorrow will be my birthday,” Prates told White cageside.
“Please give me a fight in Brazil,” Prates said.
“Also sign my friend, my boy Marcus Degli. 11 [fight] winning streak. LFA flyweight champ, the best pound-for-pound in Brazil.”
Degli is 13-3 a pro.
“Please let us fight in Rio. And 50k bonus. I have party tomorrow. Let’s go. Let’s party,” Prates added.
White said he’d give Prates his $50,000 performance bonus and a fight in Rio.
Prates turns 33 on Sunday.
UFC 319 featured back-to-back spinning elbow KO’s
Prates’ spinning elbow KO at UFC 319 surprisingly wasn’t unique.
While the feat is extremely rare, England’s Lerone Murphy picked up a knockout by spinning elbow in the fight immediately after when he spoiled Aaron Pico’s UFC debut.
Jaw dropped after Murphy followed up Prates’ KO with his own, becoming the new #1 contender at featherweight in the process.
UFC Champion Alexander Volkanovski welcomed a fight with Murphy in the aftermath.
