In a detailed fight analysis, Carlos Prates dominated Jack Della Maddalena primarily through devastating leg kicks and diverse striking. Prates systematically destroyed Della Maddalena's lead leg (as he did previously to Leon Edwards), delivering 4-5 low kicks to compromise movement and 10-15 to threaten a knockout. Della Maddalena's defensive approach of using a boxing guard proved ineffective against Prates' tornado of kicks, elbows, knees and punches. The analyst noted that Della Maddalena fought predominantly in southpaw stance despite needing to work from orthodox after Islam Makhachev previously damaged his left leg. When switching to orthodox, Prates punished his left side with middle kicks. The piece highlighted Prates' combination of Poatan and Anderson Silva-like qualities, his ability to strike from multiple angles with power, and his confidence that overwhelmed Della Maddalena. Regarding a potential Makhachev matchup, the analysis noted Prates' proven ability to devastate southpaw fighters' lead legs quickly, creating legitimate intrigue despite Makhachev's high-level striking and grappling skills.
A recent detailed breakdown of Carlos Prates' welterweight victory over Jack Della Maddalena has outlined how the Brazilian striker systematically dismantled his Australian opponent through targeted leg attacks and a diverse, unpredictable striking arsenal.
Prates, nicknamed "The Nightmare," carries a 24-7 record and currently sits ranked fifth in the UFC welterweight division. The 32-year-old Brazilian out of Vale Top Team stands six-foot-one with a remarkable 78-inch reach, and averages 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy. The analysis compared his striking style to a combination of Alex Pereira and Anderson Silva, citing his ability to generate power from multiple angles and attack with kicks, elbows, knees, and punches in rapid succession.
Della Maddalena, ranked fourth in the welterweight division and 13th pound-for-pound, entered the fight as one of the division's more active strikers, landing 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy. The 29-year-old Australian from Scrappy MMA holds an 18-4 record and stands five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach. According to the analysis, his reliance on a boxing-heavy guard left him exposed to Prates' kicking game. The breakdown also noted that Della Maddalena fought largely out of southpaw stance despite needing to prioritize orthodox after Islam Makhachev previously damaged his left leg — a tactical error that Prates exploited ruthlessly, switching to punish the left side with mid-kicks when Della Maddalena did adjust.
The piece drew parallels to Prates' earlier leg-kick destruction of Leon Edwards, noting that between four and five low kicks can compromise an opponent's movement, while ten to fifteen put a fighter in genuine knockout danger.
Why it matters
- Prates' win over Della Maddalena moves him to fifth in a welterweight division currently topped by Makhachev, who holds a 28-1 record and the welterweight title
- The analysis raised legitimate intrigue around a potential Prates-Makhachev matchup, given Prates' track record against southpaw fighters' lead legs
- Makhachev, a southpaw himself, averages 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.1 submission attempts, meaning any striking-based game plan against him carries significant grappling risk
