Jack Della Maddalena stated he will finish Carlos Prates in the fifth round of their upcoming fight. Della Maddalena praised Prates' record of serious victories with spectacular knockouts, predicting an exciting bout. He believes the first minute will be particularly interesting, with no extensive feeling-out process, as both fighters will immediately engage in exchanges to test each other. Della Maddalena expects the fight to develop over the full five-round distance after the opening exchanges.
Jack Della Maddalena has gone on record predicting he will stop Carlos Prates in the fifth round when the two welterweights meet in their upcoming bout.
Della Maddalena, ranked fourth in the welterweight division and 13th pound-for-pound, carries an 18-4 record into the fight. The 29-year-old Australian trains out of Scrappy MMA and is one of the more active strikers in the division, landing 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy. He switches stances and stands five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach.
Prates, known as "The Nightmare," enters ranked fifth at welterweight with a 24-7 record. The 32-year-old Brazilian out of Vale Top Team is two inches taller at six-foot-one and carries a notably longer 78-inch reach. He lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate, and Della Maddalena specifically acknowledged his opponent's string of high-profile victories finished in spectacular fashion.
Della Maddalena was candid about how he expects the contest to unfold. He anticipates no cautious feeling-out period, predicting both men will engage immediately and that the opening minute alone will be worth watching. Despite that explosive start, he believes the fight will go the full five-round distance before he gets the stoppage late.
Why it matters
- Both fighters are ranked in the welterweight top five, meaning the winner has a strong case for a title shot
- Della Maddalena's high striking volume against Prates' longer reach and superior accuracy sets up a compelling technical contrast
- Both men are switch-stance strikers, adding an unpredictable dynamic to the anticipated early exchanges
- A fifth-round finish, if it occurs, would be among the latest stoppages of either fighter's UFC career
