A detailed fight analysis examines Carlos Prates' victory over Jack Della Maddalena, noting that Maddalena relied heavily on boxing blocks for defense, which proved inadequate against Prates' diverse striking arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Maddalena fought extensively in southpaw stance despite having his left leg damaged in his previous fight with Makhachev, and Prates punished his left side with middle kicks in the second round. The analyst admits to underestimating Prates' versatility and ability to enter a state of supreme confidence, comparing him to a hybrid of Alex Pereira and Anderson Silva. Regarding a potential Makhachev vs Prates matchup, the analysis notes that Prates has successfully destroyed the lead legs of southpaw opponents Edvards and Maddalena within the first round, and can finish fights with low kicks. However, Makhachev is described as a high-level striker who disguises takedowns well, and the question remains whether Prates could maintain his effectiveness after being controlled on the ground. The post also suggests UFC might consider having Prates fight Shavkat Rakhmonov first to determine a clear number one contender.
