Della Maddalena vs Prates headlines Perth May 2

Jack Della Maddalena will put his welterweight credentials on the line against Carlos "The Nightmare" Prates in the main event of UFC Fight Night on May 2 in Perth, Australia, with the bout set to stream on Paramount+.

Della Maddalena, ranked fourth in the welterweight division and 13th pound-for-pound, enters as the hometown hero. The 29-year-old Australian carries an 18-4 record and trains out of Scrappy MMA. Fighting out of a switch stance, he brings relentless pressure and one of the busiest outputs in the division, landing 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy. His grappling threat is minimal, which means opponents must brace for sustained striking exchanges across all three rounds.

Prates arrives ranked fifth at 170 pounds with a 24-7 record built largely on finishing power. The 32-year-old Brazilian, also a switch-stance fighter, stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach — a three-inch reach advantage over Della Maddalena — and trains out of Vale Top Team. He connects at 55 percent striking accuracy, landing 3.77 significant strikes per minute. He has recorded zero submission attempts per 15 minutes, signaling a pure striking game built on precision over volume.

Why it matters

• Both men sit inside the top five at welterweight, meaning the winner has a strong case for a title shot amid ongoing reshuffling at 170 pounds.
• The reach and accuracy of Prates against the output and home-crowd energy of Della Maddalena creates a compelling stylistic contrast.
• The card marks the UFC's return to Australia, giving Della Maddalena a significant crowd advantage in Perth.
• A finishing victory for either fighter would almost certainly force the promotion's hand on a championship conversation.