Detailed breakdown of Prates' victory over Maddalena discusses Makhachev matchup

A detailed analysis of Carlos Prates' victory over Jack Della Maddalena highlights several key factors: Maddalena relied too heavily on a boxing guard defense which proved ineffective against Prates' diverse striking arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Maddalena surprisingly fought primarily in southpaw stance despite having his left leg damaged in his previous fight with Makhachev, and when he switched to orthodox, Prates punished his left side with mid-kicks. Maddalena lacked the speed and aggression needed to pressure Prates against the cage, and Prates' confidence and versatility in striking proved overwhelming. Regarding a potential Makhachev vs Prates matchup, the analysis notes that Prates has severely damaged the right legs of southpaw opponents like Leon Edwards and Maddalena with low kicks, sometimes achieving knockouts with them. While there is clear intrigue in the matchup, the author notes that Makhachev is himself a high-level striker who effectively sets up takedowns, and questions whether Prates would maintain his striking effectiveness after being pressured in half-guard for a round. The post suggests UFC may need to decide whether to hold Prates for a title shot or match him with Arman Moralev first.