Detailed breakdown of Prates vs Maddalena with analysis of Makhachev matchup

A detailed fight analysis reveals that Jack Della Maddalena relied heavily on boxing blocks (approximately 90% of his defense) against Carlos Prates, which proved ineffective against Prates's diverse striking arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Maddalena fought primarily in southpaw stance despite previous issues with leg kicks from Islam Makhachev, and when he switched to orthodox, Prates damaged his left side with mid-kicks. The analyst notes that Maddalena's best chance was aggressive pressure against the cage, but he lacked the speed and aggression needed, while Prates showed complete confidence and used excellent range with diverse striking angles. Regarding a potential Makhachev vs Prates matchup, the analysis suggests Prates has destroyed the lead legs of southpaws Leon Edwards and Maddalena with leg kicks, sometimes finishing with them. While there's clear intrigue in the matchup, questions remain about whether Prates would maintain his striking effectiveness after being controlled in grappling positions. The post suggests UFC may need to decide between holding Prates for Makhachev or matching him against Shavkat Rakhmonov first.