Analysis: Prates' striking diversity overwhelmed Della Maddalena's defensive approach

A detailed post-fight analysis reveals that Jack Della Maddalena relied heavily on a boxing-style block defense (approximately 90% of the time), which proved ineffective against Carlos Prates' diverse arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Della Maddalena fought predominantly in southpaw stance despite being vulnerable to leg kicks after the Makhachev fight, and when switching to orthodox, Prates damaged his left side with middle kicks. The analyst notes Della Maddalena lacked the speed and aggression needed to pressure Prates effectively. Regarding a potential Makhachev vs Prates matchup, the analysis suggests Prates poses a legitimate threat with his leg kicks against the southpaw champion and his ability to finish with one mistake on the distance. However, questions remain about whether Prates could maintain his performance after being controlled in grappling exchanges. The post suggests UFC may consider matching Prates against Shavkat Rakhmonov to determine a clear contender before a title shot.