Maddalena vs. Prates analysis: who moves backward determines the winner

The key question in Maddalena versus Prates is whether there will be a head-on collision in the cage center, and if not, who will retreat. Prates has dropped opponents 11 times in the UFC moving forward and rarely goes backward except briefly against Neil Magny. Maddalena also builds his game on forward movement and has almost never been seen retreating. If they clash in the center, the odds don't favor Maddalena, who absorbed over 50 clean head strikes from Belal Muhammad, while Prates only needs one. Maddalena's advantage lies in short combination boxing and counter-striking at close-medium range, where Prates is weaker. Ian Garry succeeded by feeling Prates' left straight on millimeters and constantly avoiding it, likely from extensive sparring with southpaws. The analysis concludes that despite being a puzzle of a fight, Maddalena could force Prates backward, overwhelm him with strikes, and potentially win by decision or TKO in rounds 3-4.