An in-depth tactical review of the Prates versus Della Maddalena fight identified five key factors in the outcome. The analyst noted that Maddalena relied heavily on a boxing block for defense, which proved ineffective against Prates' diverse arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Maddalena surprisingly fought mostly in southpaw stance despite his left leg being damaged in the Makhachev fight, and when he switched to orthodox, Prates punished his left side with middle kicks. The analyst observed that Maddalena's chance was to be the aggressive first fighter and pressure Prates against the cage, but he lacked the speed and aggression needed. Prates demonstrated exceptional versatility and confidence, using different angles with all weapons and neutralizing Maddalena's approach. Regarding a potential Makhachev matchup, the analyst notes Prates has damaged southpaw opponents' lead legs severely and could present striking dangers, but questions whether he could maintain his performance after being pressured in grappling. The post concludes by suggesting the UFC should consider matching Prates against Morales to determine a clear contender.
A detailed tactical breakdown of Carlos Prates' victory over Jack Della Maddalena has identified five key factors that explain how the Brazilian secured the win, with an analyst dissecting the stylistic matchup in depth.
Prates, known as "The Nightmare," carries a 24-7 record and is currently ranked fifth in the welterweight division. The 32-year-old Brazilian fights out of Vale Top Team and holds physical advantages that played a central role in the fight, standing six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach. He lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at a 55 percent accuracy rate and switches stances fluidly, deploying kicks, elbows, knees, and punches from multiple angles.
Della Maddalena, ranked fourth at welterweight and 13th in the pound-for-pound standings, entered the contest at 18-4. The 29-year-old Australian out of Scrappy MMA is one of the division's busiest strikers, averaging 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy, with a 73-inch reach. According to the analysis, his reliance on a boxing-style defensive shell left him vulnerable to Prates' varied attack. The review also noted that Della Maddalena fought predominantly in southpaw stance despite carrying damage to his left leg from his prior contest against welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, and when he did shift to orthodox, Prates exploited that side with targeted middle kicks.
Why it matters
- Prates' win over a top-five welterweight strengthens his contender credentials at 170 pounds
- The analysis suggests Della Maddalena's defensive approach and physical limitations created a stylistic disadvantage he could not overcome
- Looking ahead, the analyst raises questions about how Prates might fare against Makhachev's pressure grappling, noting his ability to damage southpaw lead legs but flagging uncertainty about his durability under a wrestling-heavy game plan
- The piece recommends a Prates versus Morales matchup as the logical next step to establish a clear divisional contender
