A detailed analysis of Carlos Prates' victory over Jack Della Maddalena reveals tactical and technical insights. Approximately 90% of Maddalena's defensive actions relied on a boxing guard, which proved inadequate against Prates' diverse arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Maddalena's guard was porous and he absorbed many straight punches through it without effective counters. Unlike fighters like Petr Yan who can counter explosively from a guard position, Maddalena fights with a smooth, flowing rhythm that requires specific timing. Maddalena fought predominantly in a southpaw stance, which was surprising given his previous loss to Makhachev where his lead leg was damaged. Prates punished Maddalena's left side with middle kicks, turning it visibly red by the second round. Maddalena's kicks were described as slow and weak, preventing him from establishing long-range dominance. While Maddalena had opportunities to pressure Prates against the cage, he lacked the aggression, speed, and confidence to execute effectively, especially after absorbing a knee strike. The analysis concludes that Prates' belief, versatility, power from all weapons, and ability to use his length would have overwhelmed Maddalena regardless of preparation. The post compares Prates to a hybrid of Joaquin Buckley and Anderson Silva. Regarding a potential Makhachev fight, the analysis notes Prates has already damaged the lead legs of southpaws Leon Edwards and Maddalena with low kicks, capable of causing knockouts in 10-15 strikes. While intrigue exists, Makhachev's high-level striking, takedown setups, and ground control could neutralize Prates after sustained top pressure. The post suggests the UFC should consider matching Prates against Shavkat Rakhmonov to determine a clear contender.
Carlos Prates' stoppage of Jack Della Maddalena has drawn significant post-fight attention, with a detailed breakdown revealing just how thoroughly the Brazilian's tactical approach dismantled his opponent's game.
The analysis centers on a fundamental structural problem in Maddalena's defense. Roughly 90 percent of his defensive actions relied on a boxing guard, which left him exposed to Prates' wide variety of weapons — kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Rather than offering the explosive countering ability that allows fighters like Petr Yan to make a high guard work, Maddalena's flowing, rhythmic style demands precise timing to function, and Prates consistently disrupted that timing before he could establish it.
Prates' targeting of Maddalena's left side proved particularly effective. Middle kicks visibly reddened that flank by the second round, with the analysis noting that Maddalena had previously suffered lead-leg damage in his loss to Islam Makhachev and yet came in fighting predominantly southpaw again. Maddalena's own kicks were described as slow and ineffective, denying him any long-range control. Even when chances arose to trap Prates on the cage, Maddalena lacked the aggression and confidence to press the advantage, especially after absorbing a damaging knee.
The breakdown likens Prates' style to a combination of Joaquin Buckley and Anderson Silva — the latter a 34-11 southpaw Brazilian icon known for elite striking accuracy at 61 percent — crediting Prates' length, power across all weapons, and belief as factors that would have produced the same result regardless of preparation.
Why it matters
- Prates has now visibly damaged the lead legs of two prominent southpaws, Leon Edwards and Maddalena, using low kicks capable of producing a finish within 10 to 15 strikes
- A matchup against welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, who carries a 28-1 record, lands 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes, and commands elite ground control, is raised but viewed as a steep step given Makhachev's ability to neutralize strikers through sustained top pressure
- The analysis instead advocates for Prates to face Shavkat Rakhmonov, the undefeated 19-0 Kazakh ranked third at welterweight, as the more logical contest to identify the division's next genuine title challenger
