A detailed fight analysis reveals that Jack Della Maddalena performed nearly 90% of his defensive actions using a boxing block, which proved ineffective against Carlos Prates's diverse arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. The block was described as porous, allowing many straight punches through, and Maddalena couldn't counter-strike explosively from the block like Petr Yan does. Surprisingly, Maddalena fought predominantly in southpaw stance despite getting his left leg damaged by Islam Makhachev previously, and when he switched to orthodox, Prates attacked his left side with middle kicks, leaving it visibly red by the second round. Maddalena's chance was to be an aggressive first mover and keep Prates against the cage, but he lacked the speed, was cautious especially after taking a knee, and Prates was too confident and versatile with different angles. The analysis concludes that regardless of preparation, Prates would have demolished Maddalena due to his belief in himself, momentum, and universal striking ability, describing him as a mix of Alex Pereira and Anderson Silva. Regarding a potential Makhachev vs Prates matchup, the analysis notes that Prates destroyed the lead legs of southpaws Edwards and Maddalena with low kicks and can knockout with them, creating intrigue on the feet, but questions whether Prates would be the same fighter after being pressured on the ground for a round.
A detailed striking breakdown of Jack Della Maddalena's loss to Carlos Prates has surfaced, painting a picture of a fighter whose defensive habits were exploited systematically from the opening bell.
The analysis centers on Della Maddalena's near-total reliance on a boxing block for defense — accounting for roughly 90 percent of his defensive actions throughout the fight. According to the breakdown, that shell proved porous against straight punches and offered almost nothing against Prates's varied arsenal of kicks, elbows, and knees. Unlike Petr Yan, who can generate explosive counters from a similar guard, Della Maddalena could not. The 29-year-old Australian, ranked fourth in the welterweight division with an 18-4 record, carries genuine offensive firepower — landing 5.57 significant strikes per minute — but on this night his output was neutralized before it could develop.
Compounding the defensive problem was his stance selection. Despite having his left leg damaged in a previous bout against welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, Della Maddalena spent the majority of the fight in a southpaw stance. When he shifted to orthodox, Prates immediately targeted the left side with middle kicks, leaving that leg visibly marked by the second round. The analysis argues that Della Maddalena's best path was aggressive forward pressure to pin Prates on the cage, but he lacked the necessary speed and grew cautious after absorbing a knee.
Why it matters
- Della Maddalena's defensive tendencies appear to be a structural weakness that elite strikers can blueprint
- Prates is described as combining the attributes of Alex Pereira and Anderson Silva, suggesting his striking style creates problems for multiple welterweights
- A potential Makhachev versus Prates matchup is raised, with the analysis noting Prates has damaged the lead legs of southpaw opponents Leon Edwards and Della Maddalena alike, though questions linger about how his striking output would hold up after sustained grappling pressure from the 28-1 Russian champion
