Jack Della Maddalena and Carlos Prates completed their final face-off before their welterweight bout at UFC Perth. The staredown showcased the intensity between the two fighters as they prepare for their upcoming clash. Della Maddalena, fighting in front of his home Australian crowd, will look to continue his winning streak. Prates brings knockout power and aims to make a statement in the welterweight division. The event takes place this weekend in Perth, Australia. Both fighters appear ready for what promises to be an explosive encounter.
Jack Della Maddalena and Carlos Prates locked eyes one final time at the pre-fight staredown ahead of their welterweight main event at UFC Perth, set to take place this weekend in Perth, Australia.
Della Maddalena enters the bout as the hometown favourite, fighting in front of an Australian crowd that has watched him rise steadily through the welterweight ranks. The 29-year-old out of Scrappy MMA carries an 18-4 record and currently sits fourth in the welterweight division, as well as thirteenth in the pound-for-pound rankings. A switch-stance striker standing five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach, he is one of the more active offensive fighters in the division, landing 5.57 significant strikes per minute at a 51 percent accuracy rate.
Prates, who fights out of Brazil under the Vale Top Team banner, brings a complementary but distinct profile to the matchup. The 32-year-old nicknamed "The Nightmare" holds a 24-7 record and is ranked fifth at welterweight. He stands six-foot-one with a notably long 78-inch reach and connects on 55 percent of his significant strikes, averaging 3.77 landed per minute. Prates has registered no submission attempts per 15 minutes, suggesting a fighter fully committed to finishing opponents on the feet.
Why it matters
- Both fighters are ranked inside the welterweight top five, meaning the winner will make a strong case for a title shot
- Della Maddalena at fourth and Prates at fifth creates genuine divisional movement regardless of the outcome
- Both men are switch-stance strikers, setting up a technically complex stand-up battle with Prates holding a five-inch reach advantage
- Della Maddalena's higher strike volume against Prates's superior accuracy and reach makes for a compelling stylistic contrast
