Analysis: Prates favored over Maddalena in UFC Perth main event striker clash

A detailed breakdown of the Jack Della Maddalena vs Carlos Prates welterweight main event suggests Prates holds the advantage despite Maddalena's strengths. The analysis notes that while Maddalena needs to pressure Prates and fight as the aggressor, he lacks the kicking game and footwork that allowed Ian Garry to control distance effectively against the Brazilian. Prates has dropped opponents 11 times in the UFC while moving forward and rarely retreats. The piece argues that if Maddalena tries to box in the center, he risks getting caught by Prates' power, noting that Belal Muhammad landed over 50 clean head strikes on the Australian. Maddalena's best path to victory is seen as pressuring Prates to the cage with short combination boxing, but maintaining perfect defensive discipline for 25 minutes is deemed unlikely. The analyst picks Prates to win.