Jack Della Maddalena plans to drag Carlos Prates into deep waters

Jack Della Maddalena has laid out a clear game plan ahead of his welterweight clash with Carlos Prates, stating his intention to drag the Brazilian into the deep waters of a full five-round fight and take the bout to a decision.

Della Maddalena, ranked fourth in the welterweight division and 13th in the pound-for-pound standings, carries an 18-4 record into the matchup. The 29-year-old Australian, who trains out of Scrappy MMA, has built a reputation as a high-output striker, landing 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy. Fighting out of a switch stance and standing five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach, he is betting that his cardio and ability to sustain pressure over five rounds will be the decisive factor.

Standing across from him will be Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," who enters ranked fifth in the division with a 24-7 record. The 32-year-old Brazilian out of Vale Top Team is a physically imposing switch-stance fighter at six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach — a notable four-inch reach advantage over Maddalena. Prates lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy clip, and his finishing ability has been a defining characteristic of his career.

Why it matters

• Maddalena at No. 4 and Prates at No. 5 means the winner moves into serious title contention in a loaded welterweight division.
• Della Maddalena's stated plan to go five rounds directly challenges Prates's identity as a finisher, turning the fight into a test of durability as much as skill.
• Both fighters share a switch stance, creating a mirror dynamic that could make distance management and timing the central tactical battle.
• The reach disparity of four inches gives Prates a structural edge that Maddalena will need to neutralize by working on the inside.