Analysis: Will Maddalena or Prates retreat in welterweight clash?

The central question in the Maddalena vs Prates fight is whether there will be a head-on collision in the center of the cage, and if not, who will move backward. Prates has dropped opponents 11 times in the UFC while moving forward and rarely retreats, needing to advance to create space for his powerful left straight. Maddalena is similarly built on forward pressure and has almost never been seen retreating. If they clash in the center, the odds favor Prates, as Maddalena absorbed over 50 clean straight punches against Belal Muhammad, and Prates only needs one clean shot. Maddalena's advantage lies in his short-range combination boxing and counter-striking, as Prates struggles at mid-to-close boxing range and becomes lost when opponents smother him with volume. Ian Garry succeeded against Prates partly because he could read the left straight on millimeters and had the size, speed, and diverse striking arsenal to control distance safely. The analysis predicts Maddalena will force Prates backward, overwhelm him with volume and damage across different levels, and potentially finish by TKO in rounds 3-4, though Prates remains dangerous throughout due to his power.