A detailed post-fight analysis highlights several factors in Carlos Prates' victory over Jack Della Maddalena. The analyst notes that Della Maddalena relied heavily on boxing blocks for defense, which proved ineffective against Prates' diverse striking arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Della Maddalena fought primarily in a southpaw stance despite having his lead leg damaged by Islam Makhachev in a previous fight, and when he switched to orthodox, Prates targeted his left side with middle kicks. The author argues that Prates' confidence, versatility, and power would have resulted in victory regardless of Della Maddalena's tactical approach. The post also discusses potential matchups with Islam Makhachev and Michael Morales, noting that Prates has damaged the lead legs of southpaw opponents like Leon Edwards and Della Maddalena. The analyst suggests the UFC must decide whether to hold Prates for a title shot or match him with Morales first.
A detailed post-fight breakdown published this week argues that Carlos Prates would have beaten Jack Della Maddalena under virtually any tactical circumstances, citing structural advantages in Prates' striking game that Della Maddalena had no reliable answer for.
Prates, known as "The Nightmare," enters the conversation at 24-7 and now sits fifth in the UFC welterweight rankings at 32 years old. The Brazilian out of Vale Top Team stands six-foot-one with a 78-inch reach — a significant frame for the division — and lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. The analysis credits his switch-stance versatility and willingness to attack with kicks, elbows, knees, and punches as the core reason Della Maddalena's defense fell apart.
Della Maddalena, the 29-year-old Australian ranked fourth at welterweight, carries a 18-4 record and a reputation as one of the division's most active strikers, averaging 5.57 significant strikes per minute. The breakdown notes that Della Maddalena leaned heavily on boxing-style blocks throughout the fight, a defensive framework poorly suited to handling Prates' multi-weapon attack. Compounding the problem, the analysis points out that Della Maddalena continued fighting primarily from a southpaw stance despite carrying damage to his lead leg from a prior bout against welterweight champion Islam Makhachev. When he shifted to orthodox, Prates reportedly responded by targeting his left side with middle kicks.
Why it matters
- Prates' win moves him to fifth in the welterweight rankings, one spot behind the man he just defeated
- The analysis raises the question of whether the UFC pairs Prates next with Michael Morales or holds him for a title shot against Makhachev
- Prates has shown a pattern of damaging the lead legs of southpaw opponents, a detail that carries weight given Makhachev fights out of a southpaw stance and holds a 78-inch reach advantage over most of his challengers
- Della Maddalena at 29 remains a top-five fixture, but the loss exposes defensive limitations the analysis suggests are systemic rather than situational
