Jack Della Maddalena vs Carlos Prates preview: Forward pressure clash expected

The upcoming welterweight bout between Jack Della Maddalena and Carlos Prates presents a fascinating stylistic clash between two forward-pressure fighters. The key question is whether either fighter will be willing to fight moving backward, as both have built their success on aggressive forward movement. Prates has knocked down opponents 11 times in the UFC while moving forward and rarely retreats, relying on his devastating left straight. Maddalena similarly builds his entire game on forward pressure and has almost never been seen moving backward. The analysis suggests that if they meet in the center and trade, Maddalena faces significant danger given that Prates needs only one clean shot to end fights, while Maddalena absorbed over 50 clean head strikes against Belal Muhammad. Maddalena's best path to victory appears to be pressuring Prates to the cage and overwhelming him with short combination boxing, an area where the Brazilian has shown vulnerability.