Dana White & UFC Drop Absurd Reaction to Sm*king Habit as Carlos Prates Seeks Retirement

Carlos Prates is a one-of-a-kind fighter who’s not only known for his explosive performances inside the Octagon but has also raised eyebrows for his lifestyle. The Brazilian star loves to sm*ke, which is a habit that seems to fly in the face of athletic wisdom. Some people may find it a nasty habit, but Prates claims that the reaction of Dana White and the UFC execs was totally the opposite.

Carlos Prates recently appeared on veteran combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani‘s YouTube show, where the host drew parallels between the UFC star and another combat sports legend who also used to sm*ke while he was actively competing. In case you’re wondering who that is, it’s none other than Oscar De La Hoya‘s former rival, Ricardo Mayorga. But his story is different from that of Prates.

Ricardo Mayorga was never apologetic about his sm*king habit, even when promoters used to scold him for his habit. As an act of defiance towards the criticism, he once said, “I won my title a sm*ker, and I defended my title a sm*ker.” But when it comes to Carlos Prates, he claims that his employer, Dana White, and others like Sean Shelby or Hunter Campbell, have never taken any issue with his sm*king habit. “They don’t get mad. They think it’s funny,” the Fighting Nerd affiliate told Ariel Helwani.

People could be surprised to hear that Dana White hasn’t made Carlos Prates face any repercussions for his habit. That’s because the UFC CEO is pretty open to letting fighters do and say what they want, as he once said, “I don’t f—ing tell any other human being what to say, what to think. There are no leashes on any of them.” 

Well, the cat’s out of the bag now when it comes to the UFC and Carlos Prates’ sm*king habit. In the meantime, the Brazilian fighter made yet another massive revelation about his UFC career, claiming that he could be done sooner than most people think. Here’s what he had to say.

Carlos Prates could retire soon

Carlos Prates may have had a setback in his fight against Ian Garry, which is his only UFC loss so far, but he’s not done with the Irishman. ‘The Nightmare’ revealed to Ariel Helwani that he’s aim is only the welterweight gold, and when he wins it, he’ll be taking on ‘The Future’ in a rematch. Prates wants to get a win back, and after that, he could bid farewell to the sport, spend more time with his family, and embark on another journey because he doesn’t want to fight more times than he needs to.

“I’m gonna fight for the belt, I’m gonna win the belt, then I’m gonna challenge [Ian Garry] to do a rematch, and then I’m gonna stop fighting MMA,” said Carlos Prates, leaving Helwani stunned. But the welterweight star doubled down on the retirement claims, adding, “I don’t want to fight too much… Just enjoy life, BBQ, [drink] some beers. That’s it… Enjoy my time by the pool, take care of my mom.”

Carlos Prates might have to wait for some time before he gets a title shot. A lot of contenders have been waiting for a while now. Regardless, do you think that winning the belt, defending it once, and then retiring is a good idea for the Fight Nerds star? Let us know in the comments down below.