A detailed breakdown of Carlos Prates' victory over Jack Della Maddalena reveals several tactical factors. Maddalena relied heavily on a boxing guard for defense, which proved ineffective against Prates' diverse arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Maddalena fought predominantly in southpaw stance despite having his left leg damaged by Makhachev previously, and when he switched to orthodox, Prates damaged his left side with middle kicks. Maddalena's best chance would have been aggressive forward pressure, but he lacked the speed and aggression needed, while Prates showed exceptional confidence and versatility. The analysis suggests Prates' combination of striking from different angles and belief in himself made him overwhelming. Looking ahead to a potential Makhachev vs Prates matchup, the post notes that Prates effectively neutralized the lead leg of southpaws like Edwards and Maddalena, creating intrigue for how Makhachev, also a southpaw, would approach the fight.
