Jack Della Maddalena and Carlos Prates held their first face-off ahead of their bout at UFC Perth. The post asks fans to react in support of either fighter. No specific details about the weight class or fight order were provided in this brief announcement. The face-off photo was credited to the UFC. This is a standard pre-fight media obligation for both athletes.
Jack Della Maddalena and Carlos Prates came face to face for the first time ahead of their welterweight clash at UFC Perth, with the UFC releasing an image of the two fighters squaring off as part of standard pre-fight media obligations.
Della Maddalena enters the bout as the hometown favourite, competing in front of an Australian crowd at 29 years old. The Perth-based fighter out of Scrappy MMA carries an 18-4 record and sits fourth in the welterweight rankings, with a place at number 13 in the pound-for-pound standings underlining his rapid rise. He is one of the division's most active strikers, landing 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy, and fights out of a switch stance with a reach of 73 inches.
Prates, who trains out of Vale Top Team in Brazil, brings a 24-7 record and the fifth-ranked welterweight slot into this contest. Known as The Nightmare, the 32-year-old also works from a switch stance but holds a notable physical edge, standing six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach. He lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute with a striking accuracy of 55 percent, suggesting a more selective and calculated approach on the feet.
Why it matters
- Both fighters sit inside the welterweight top five, meaning the winner has a strong claim for a title shot or next major contender bout.
- The contrasting striking styles — Della Maddalena's high volume versus Prates' reach advantage and accuracy — sets up an intriguing technical matchup on the feet.
- Della Maddalena fighting in Perth adds significant local pressure and crowd momentum to an already high-stakes divisional contest.
