A detailed fight analysis reveals that Jack Della Maddalena relied heavily on boxing blocks for defense, which proved ineffective against Carlos Prates' diverse arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Maddalena fought predominantly in a southpaw stance despite his left leg being damaged by Makhachev previously, and Prates exploited this by attacking his left side with middle kicks. The analyst notes Maddalena's best chance would have been aggressive pressure fighting, but he lacked the speed and aggression needed while Prates remained confident and used superior reach effectively. The breakdown suggests Prates would defeat any opponent in open striking exchanges due to his versatility and momentum. Regarding a potential Makhachev vs. Prates matchup, the analyst notes that Prates has successfully targeted southpaws' lead legs for knockouts, but questions whether he could maintain his striking effectiveness after being taken down and controlled. The post suggests UFC may need to decide between giving Prates an immediate title shot or matching him against Vicente Luque first.
A detailed technical breakdown of Carlos Prates' victory over Jack Della Maddalena has surfaced, outlining exactly how the Brazilian striker dismantled one of welterweight's most dangerous punchers.
Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," carries a 24-7 record and holds the number-five ranking in the 170-pound division at 32 years old. The six-foot-one Brazilian fights out of Vale Top Team and possesses a 78-inch reach — a significant physical edge he used to control distance throughout the fight. He lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy, and his switch-stance approach allows him to deploy kicks, elbows, and knees alongside his punching game.
Della Maddalena, ranked fourth at welterweight and 13th pound-for-pound at just 29 years old, entered the bout as one of the division's most prolific volume strikers, connecting at 5.57 significant strikes per minute. The Australian out of Scrappy MMA owns an 18-4 record and a 73-inch reach, but the analysis notes he leaned heavily on boxing-style blocks for defense — a shell poorly suited to stopping Prates' multi-weapon attack. Despite carrying damage to his left leg from a prior bout with Islam Makhachev, Della Maddalena reportedly defaulted to a southpaw stance, which allowed Prates to repeatedly target that compromised lead leg with middle kicks.
The breakdown argues Della Maddalena's best strategic option would have been relentless forward pressure, but he could not match Prates' speed or assertiveness in open exchanges.
Why it matters
- Prates' reach advantage and striking versatility pose a structural problem for opponents who rely on traditional boxing defense
- The analysis raises questions about how Prates would fare against Makhachev's grappling if taken down and controlled — relevant given the welterweight champion holds 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and a 28-1 record
- The UFC faces a near-term routing decision: fast-track Prates to a title shot or book him against Vicente Luque to further test his credentials
