A detailed breakdown of the Prates vs. Maddalena fight reveals that Maddalena relied too heavily on a boxing block defense, which proved ineffective against Prates' diverse arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Maddalena fought primarily in southpaw stance, which surprised analysts given that his left leg was damaged in his fight with Makhachev and he had fought mostly orthodox against Belal. Prates exploited this by attacking Maddalena's left side with mid-kicks, leaving it visibly red by the second round. Maddalena lacked the speed and aggression to pressure Prates effectively, and when he tried to close distance, Prates used his length and diverse striking angles to dominate. The analysis concludes that Prates would have beaten Maddalena regardless of preparation due to his supreme confidence, striking versatility, and ability to enter a flow state. Regarding a potential Makhachev vs. Prates matchup, the post notes that Prates has already damaged the legs of southpaw opponents Edwards and Maddalena with low kicks, potentially presenting a challenge for Makhachev on the feet, though Makhachev's grappling and ability to soften strikers in the guard could neutralize Prates' striking confidence.
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