Pereira singles out Prates as his favourite Brazilian to watch ahead of UFC 335 return

Alex Pereira has publicly declared Carlos Prates his favourite Brazilian fighter to watch in the UFC, praising the welterweight finisher’s knockout power during an appearance on the “Connect Cast” podcast. Pereira also claimed Prates is the second-highest-paid Brazilian on the roster, behind only himself.

“I like Prates, Ruffy, Charles, and Jean Silva — all those guys,” Pereira said. “The first one I really enjoy watching… I mean, I like knockouts, you know? Prates, in particular — he’s the man! I don’t really watch many fights, but if Prates is fighting, the only way I wouldn’t watch is if I were otherwise occupied.”

Prates (24-7) has finished all seven of his UFC victories and is set to challenge Michael Morales (19-0) for the interim welterweight title at UFC 336 on Jan. 30, 2027, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Pereira also highlighted Mauricio Ruffy, Charles Oliveira, and Jean Silva as Brazilian fighters he enjoys following, expressing hope that their collective success can inspire the next generation of prospects from Brazil.

Pereira (13-4) is coming off an unsuccessful interim heavyweight title bid against Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250. The former two-division champion returns to action at UFC 335 on Dec. 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, where he will face Sergei Pavlovich (21-3).