Analysis: Della Maddalena's defensive approach proved ineffective against Prates

A detailed breakdown reveals that Jack Della Maddalena relied almost 90% on boxing blocks for defense against Carlos Prates, which proved inadequate against Prates' diverse striking arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Della Maddalena fought extensively in southpaw stance despite his leg being previously damaged by Islam Makhachev, and when he switched to orthodox, Prates attacked his left side with middle kicks. The analyst notes Della Maddalena lacked the speed and aggression needed to pressure Prates effectively, and Prates' confidence and versatility made him too dangerous. Looking ahead to a potential Islam Makhachev vs. Prates matchup, the analysis suggests Prates' low kicks could threaten Makhachev's mobility as a southpaw, though Makhachev's high-level striking and grappling would pose significant challenges. The post also suggests a Prates vs. Michael Morales fight would be compelling for fans.