What does Robert Whittaker think about Carlos Prates drinking and smoking?

Robert Whittaker said Carlos Prates fights relaxed because he no longer feels the fight-or-flight response. Joe Rogan said Prates had about 100 Muay Thai and kickboxing fights over roughly six years in Thailand, and that he smokes cigarettes on fight day. Whittaker said disciplined fighters are waiting for that lifestyle to catch up with Prates. He added that he himself would gas out on the walk to the cage if he tried it.

• Whittaker said that as an Australian, watching Prates beat Jack Della Maddalena was rough, and he called the finish cold.
• Daniel Cormier's description of Prates as built like a mosquito, all long limbs, was quoted with approval on the show.
• Rogan said he would like to see a Marvin Hagler-style ascetic in MMA at the same time as Prates, to compare the two approaches.

▸In their words

“As a patriotic Australian, sitting there and watching that fight was rough.” Robert Whittaker · at 1:04:24 — open in the transcript →

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on The Joe Rogan Experience (2026-10-22). Read the whole episode summary →

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