A detailed fight analysis reveals that Jack Della Maddalena relied almost 90% on boxing blocks for defense against Carlos Prates, which proved ineffective against Prates's diverse striking arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Della Maddalena fought primarily in southpaw stance despite having his left leg damaged in his previous fight against Islam Makhachev, and when he switched to orthodox, Prates attacked his left side with middle kicks, leaving it visibly red by the second round. The analyst notes that Della Maddalena lacked the speed and aggression needed to pressure Prates effectively, and Prates's confidence and versatility made him overwhelming. Regarding a potential Makhachev vs Prates matchup, the analysis suggests Prates could damage Makhachev's lead leg with low kicks as he did to other southpaws, but questions whether Prates could maintain his effectiveness after being pressured on the ground. The post suggests UFC should consider matching Prates with Michael Morales to determine a clear contender rather than holding him for Makhachev.
A detailed technical breakdown circulating in MMA analysis circles has examined exactly how Carlos Prates dismantled Jack Della Maddalena's defensive game, exposing critical structural flaws in the Australian welterweight's approach.
The analysis centers on Della Maddalena's over-reliance on boxing blocks — accounting for nearly 90 percent of his defensive work — which proved fundamentally mismatched against Prates's wide-ranging striking attack. Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," attacks from all angles using kicks, elbows, knees, and punches, and a fighter standing behind high hands simply cannot account for that volume of weapons. The breakdown notes Della Maddalena also lacked the hand speed and forward aggression necessary to pressure Prates and disrupt his rhythm.
A secondary problem was Della Maddalena's stance selection. Despite entering the fight with a damaged left leg from his previous bout against Islam Makhachev, the 29-year-old Australian spent the majority of the fight in southpaw, which placed that injured limb forward. When he did shift to orthodox, Prates immediately targeted the compromised left side with middle kicks, leaving it visibly red by the second round. Della Maddalena carries a 18-4 record and a 73-inch reach, but those physical tools were largely neutralized by the positional and tactical errors the analyst identifies.
Prates, the 32-year-old Brazilian ranked fifth at welterweight, holds a 24-7 record and boasts a 78-inch reach — five inches longer than Della Maddalena's — along with a striking output of 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. His versatility and composure were identified as the decisive factors throughout the fight.
Why it matters
- Prates climbs to fourth or fifth in a crowded welterweight division, sharpening the picture at the top of the 170-pound rankings
- The breakdown raises questions about whether Della Maddalena's defensive toolkit is refined enough to compete at championship level
- A potential Makhachev matchup is discussed, with the analysis noting Prates's low kicks could trouble the champion's lead leg, though his ground durability remains an open question
- The analyst recommends a Prates vs. Michael Morales bout to establish a cleaner number-one contender picture rather than fast-tracking Prates directly to a title shot
