Jack Madalena faces Carlos Prates in a striker-versus-striker matchup at UFC Perth. The analyst argues that while Madalena's pressure-based style could work, he lacks the footwork and leg kicks that made Ian Garry successful against Prates. Every exchange risks Madalena getting caught by Prates' devastating counters. The post notes that even Belal Muhammad landed clean on Madalena, while Prates remains dangerous until the final seconds, as Garry nearly discovered after dominating four rounds. The author predicts Prates will win, believing Madalena cannot maintain perfect defense while pressuring for 25 minutes.
Carlos Prates and Jack Madalena are set to collide in a welterweight striking contest at UFC Perth, and the analytical case suggests the Brazilian carries a significant edge in that kind of firefight.
Prates, ranked fifth in the welterweight division, brings a 24-7 record and a reputation as one of the most dangerous finishers in the 170-pound class. The 32-year-old Brazilian, who trains out of Vale Top Team, operates out of a switch stance and stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach — physical tools that give him angles and distance management most opponents struggle to solve. He lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate, numbers that reflect a calculated, efficient aggressor rather than a wild brawler. The central concern raised in the analysis is his counter-punching threat: Prates remains lethal deep into fights, a fact Ian Garry nearly learned the hard way after controlling four rounds before surviving a late scare.
The case against Madalena centers on stylistic gaps. While his forward pressure can be effective, the analysis argues he lacks the precise footwork and leg-kick volume that allowed Garry to keep Prates at manageable range for most of their contest. Madalena's defensive vulnerabilities are also flagged — notably that Belal Muhammad, a 24-5 welterweight ranked sixth and primarily known as a wrestler landing 4.43 strikes per minute, was still able to find clean shots against him. If a grappling-oriented fighter can land clean, the argument goes, a pure striker of Prates' caliber poses an entirely different level of risk.
Why it matters
- A Prates win would strengthen his case for a top-five welterweight contender slot
- Madalena's pressure style creates openings for Prates' counters in every round
- The matchup tests whether forward aggression alone can neutralize elite counter-striking at 170 pounds
- Prates' late-round danger means Madalena cannot afford any defensive lapse over 25 minutes
