Madalena vs Prates: key question is who will move backward in the octagon

The central question in Madalena versus Prates is whether there will be a head-to-head clash in the center, and if not, who will move backward. Prates has dropped opponents 11 times in the UFC while moving forward and needs to advance to land his left straight effectively. Madalena's style is also built on forward movement, creating a potential collision. If they stand and trade in the center, Madalena faces danger as he absorbed over 50 clean straight punches against Belal Muhammad, while Prates only needs one clean shot. Madalena's advantage lies in his short combination boxing and counterstriking, where Prates struggles on the inside. The analyst predicts Madalena will force Prates backward, pour on volume strikes, and win by decision or TKO in rounds 3-4.