Detailed analysis of Prates vs Maddalena fight and Makhachev matchup implications

A detailed breakdown of Carlos Prates' victory over Jack Della Maddalena reveals several tactical insights. Maddalena relied heavily on boxing blocks for defense, which proved ineffective against Prates' diverse striking arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees and punches, and he was unable to counter effectively. Maddalena fought primarily in southpaw stance despite having his left leg damaged by Makhachev previously, and when switching to orthodox, Prates targeted his left side with middle kicks. Maddalena's best chance was aggressive forward pressure, but he lacked the speed and was cautious, while Prates showed complete confidence using varied angles and his reach advantage. The analysis suggests Prates would have won regardless of Maddalena's approach due to his versatility and momentum. Regarding a potential Makhachev vs Prates matchup, the post notes Prates has damaged the lead legs of southpaws Edwards and Maddalena with 4-5 leg kicks, sometimes achieving knockouts with 10-15 kicks. While acknowledging the striking distance presents dangers for Makhachev, the analysis questions whether Prates would maintain his effectiveness after being controlled on the ground for a round. The post concludes UFC must decide whether to hold Prates for Makhachev or match him with Shavkat Rakhmonov first.