UFC announced a Fight Night event returning to Perth, Australia, on Saturday, May 2, 2026, at RAC Arena, marking the first UFC event in Australia on a Saturday night. The headline bout features No. 1 ranked welterweight Jack Della Maddalena against No. 5 ranked Carlos Prates in a clash of top prospects. This matchup pits Western Australia's homegrown star against the international powerhouse 'The Nightmare' Prates. It matters for the welterweight division as it could propel the winner toward a title shot amid rising contention. Travel packages are on sale now via Sportsnet Holidays, with fans able to register at ufc.com/Perth for updates. Expect ticket sales and further bouts soon.
The UFC has officially announced its return to Perth, Australia, with a Fight Night event scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 2026, at RAC Arena — a historic first for the promotion, marking the first time a UFC card in Australia takes place on a Saturday night. Headlining the event is a welterweight showdown between Jack Della Maddalena and Carlos "The Nightmare" Prates.
Della Maddalena, ranked fourth in the welterweight division and thirteenth in the pound-for-pound standings, carries an 18-4 record into the fight. The 29-year-old Perth native and Scrappy MMA product is known for his high-output striking, averaging 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy. A switch-stance fighter standing five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach, he figures to have the crowd firmly behind him on home soil.
Prates brings a 24-7 record and currently sits fifth in the welterweight rankings. The 32-year-old Brazilian, who trains out of Vale Top Team, stands six-foot-one with a notably longer 78-inch reach and connects on 55 percent of his significant strikes, averaging 3.77 per minute. Also a switch-stance fighter, "The Nightmare" has shown a willingness to mix in takedowns, averaging 0.21 per fifteen minutes.
Why it matters
- A win for either fighter would make a compelling case for a welterweight title shot, given both sit inside the top five of the division.
- The reach and accuracy advantage of Prates against the volume and home-crowd energy of Della Maddalena creates a compelling striker-versus-striker matchup between two switch-stance athletes.
- The event marks a milestone for Australian MMA fans, bringing a Saturday night main card to Perth for the first time in UFC history.
- Rankings implications are significant across the welterweight division, where contention at the top remains tight.
