A comprehensive fight analysis reveals Carlos Prates dominated Jack Della Maddalena through superior striking versatility. Approximately 90% of Della Maddalena's defensive work relied on a boxing block, which proved inadequate against Prates's tornado of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Della Maddalena surprisingly fought primarily in southpaw stance despite his left leg being damaged in his previous fight with Makhachev, and Prates brutalized his left side with mid-kicks. The analyst notes Della Maddalena's best chance required aggressive pressure and keeping Prates against the cage, but he lacked the speed and aggression needed. Prates's confidence and ability to strike powerfully from all angles overwhelmed Della Maddalena. The breakdown compares Prates to a hybrid of Alex Pereira and Anderson Silva, and discusses potential matchup dynamics with Islam Makhachev, noting Prates's devastating low kicks against southpaws. The analyst suggests UFC may need to decide between giving Prates an immediate title shot or matching him with Morales first.
A detailed fight breakdown published this week dissects how Carlos Prates systematically dismantled Jack Della Maddalena, revealing the tactical and physical gaps that led to the Brazilian's dominant performance.
Della Maddalena, ranked fourth in the welterweight division at 29 years old, carries an 18-4 record and is one of the division's most active strikers, averaging 5.57 significant strikes landed per minute with 51 percent accuracy. The Australian operates out of a switch stance, yet according to the analysis, he fought the Prates bout predominantly in a southpaw position despite carrying damage to his left leg from his previous outing against Islam Makhachev. That decision proved costly. Roughly 90 percent of his defensive work relied on a boxing guard, and that narrow approach left him exposed to Prates's wide variety of weapons — kicks, knees, elbows, and punches delivered from multiple angles and ranges.
The breakdown portrays Prates as a striker with unusual versatility, drawing comparisons to both Alex Pereira and Anderson Silva. Silva, the 51-year-old Brazilian legend who fought out of a southpaw stance with a 77-inch reach and posted career striking accuracy of 61 percent, is the kind of fluid, creative threat the analyst sees echoed in Prates's movement and confidence. The path to beating Prates, the analyst argues, required sustained forward pressure and trapping him against the cage, but Della Maddalena lacked the speed and aggression to execute it consistently.
The analysis also looks ahead, noting that Prates's left-leg mid-kicks present a specific threat to southpaw fighters — a detail relevant given that welterweight champion Islam Makhachev holds a 28-1 record and fights from a southpaw stance. Makhachev, 34, averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and would present an entirely different set of problems, but the striking dimensions of that potential matchup are viewed as compelling.
Why it matters
- Della Maddalena's defensive limitations were structurally exposed, raising questions about his path back to title contention
- Prates's striking versatility and low-kick output make him a uniquely awkward matchup for southpaws, including the champion
- The UFC faces a decision on whether to funnel Prates directly into a title shot or route him through a bout with Morales first
