Speaking about soldiers, long ago, Napoleon Bonaparte had stated, “An army marches on its stomach.” It’s no different for prizefighters either. Consider the dynamics and fluidity of a bout. Fighters need to keep themselves in top shape through merciless training and conditioning. But to maintain peak-level fitness, they need to follow a strict dietary regimen. Most do. Still, as in all walks of life, there are aberrations in the combat world as well. Floyd Mayweather used to drink Pepsi during fight camps. It looks like MMA could soon have a poster boy to cite as its own example.

Carlos Prates wants to up the ante. On Saturday night, he faces Leon Edwards on the main card of UFC 322. A win over the former champion potentially adds weight to the ninth-ranked contender’s title shot dream. But a cursory glance over his preparations might leave a few doubting his ambitions. It definitely stunned Islam Makhachev, who headlines the Madison Square Garden card alongside champion Jack Della Maddalena. The former lightweight champion, who wants to make history by winning a belt in a second weight class, found himself guessing for words when he learned about Prates’ fight week diet choice.

Carlos Prates powers up with Nutella, leaving Islam Makhachev baffled

During an interview, the former lightweight champion icon spilled the beans on coming across something unusual. He saw Carlos Prates eating Nutella cake at lunchtime. During fight week, fighters are supposed to follow a very strict low-calorie diet to maintain strength and energy while managing their weight before the weigh-ins. But Prates seems hell-bent on breaking all conventions! “I saw a guy, Carlos Prates… He was eating Nutella cake at lunchtime in fight week,” Makhachev exclaimed. The 34-year-old asserted it’s not something he would readily follow. Despite being the naturally bigger man, he had to strictly follow the instructions of his nutrition team. And he still needs to cut weight.

“I understand I am bigger than this guy, you know. I don’t touch anything other than what the nutrition team gives me, and I still have to cut so much,” Makhachev stated. Basically speaking, Carlos Prates has no excuse for eating things like Nutella cake.

But then wasn’t it Prates who coolly smoked a cigarette during the post-fight presser of UFC 319, where he knocked out Geoff Neal?

The Nightmare’s bizarre approach

It might be too easy to make a judgment about a fighter who has openly confessed to smoking 8-10 cigarettes every day, before and even on the fight days. To understand his mindset, one might as well listen to what he said. During an interview yesterday, he was asked to pick between Craig Jones and Khabib Nurmagomedov, who incidentally trains Islam Makhachev, among others, for a trainer.

And true to his nature, the welterweight fighter replied without giving it much thought. “I think Craig Jones, because he’s gonna let me go to the party and smoke. If I train with Khabib, I think he’s gonna break my video game, not gonna let me smoke, and not let me go to the party,” Prates said.

Now, a few might object to Carlos Prates’ unorthodox ways, especially with a big fight looming over, it appears quite outlandish. But as they say, to each his own. If Prates doesn’t find Nutella or cigarettes, creating hurdles on his path to glory, then it shouldn’t be a problem for anyone either.

What matters more is whether he’s able to maintain his momentum and inflict a third consecutive loss on Leon Edwards, who seems hell-bent on making a strong comeback.

Between Prates and Edwards, who’s your pick for the win?