Carlos Prates stunned fans at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night with a dramatic second-round knockout of former welterweight champion Leon Edwards at UFC 322. This marked the first time Edwards has been finished with strikes in his professional career.
Edwards, 22-5 with one no contest, was attempting to halt the first losing streak of his MMA career. After dropping the title to Belal Muhammad in July and losing to Sean Brady, “Rocky” was looking to rebound and retain his position as a top-five contender at 170 pounds.
Prates, 22-7, entered the fight on the heels of a first-round knockout over Geoff Neal at UFC 319 and aimed to earn his first title opportunity. Known for his knockout power, he has accumulated 17 career KOs, five inside the octagon.
Round 1:
Under referee Keith Peterson, both fighters opened cautiously. Prates used leg kicks to control distance while Edwards moved in for takedowns. Edwards secured a back position and attempted a choke late in the round, but Prates remained composed and made it to the bell.
Round 2:
Prates quickly shifted to offense, landing sharp jabs and a leg kick before a counter left hand dropped Edwards to the canvas. Following up with precise strikes, Prates secured the knockout at 1:28 of the second round, handing Edwards a historic first career KO loss.
After the victory, Prates reflected on his approach and the in-cage banter: “Fans come to see action, not boring fights. Edwards is a legend, but I’m here to entertain.” He also hinted at potentially challenging the main event winner next.
With this win, Carlos Prates positions himself as a serious contender in the welterweight division, while Edwards faces a critical moment in his career, needing to recover and reassess his path back to title contention.
Watch the highlights below:
He’s a nightmare to deal with 😮💨@TheNightmare170 gets the finish in round two! #VeChain #UFC322 pic.twitter.com/FEiFX8jcEi
— UFC (@ufc) November 16, 2025
