A comprehensive tactical analysis explores the central question of the Maddalena vs Prates fight: will there be a clash in the center of the cage, and if not, who will retreat. Prates has dropped opponents 11 times in the UFC while moving forward and needs to advance to deliver his left straight effectively. Maddalena's entire game is also built on forward movement. The analysis warns that if they meet in the center, Maddalena is at risk given he absorbed over 50 clean straight punches against Belal Muhammad, while Prates only needs one to finish fights. Maddalena's advantage lies in his short combination boxing and counterstriking ability, as Prates struggles at mid-to-close range when being swarmed with punches. The breakdown notes that Ian Garry succeeded by feeling Prates's left straight on millimeters and using his size, speed, and diverse attack including leg kicks. Maddalena will likely need to rely solely on boxing to force Prates backward and may need to switch to orthodox stance to neutralize Prates's low kicks. Despite the challenges, the analyst picks Maddalena to win by decision or TKO in rounds 3-4.
