A detailed fight breakdown reveals Jack Della Maddalena relied heavily on a boxing block defense, which proved ineffective against Carlos Prates' diverse striking arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Maddalena's block was described as porous, allowing many straight punches through, and he lacked the explosive counter-punching ability to make this defensive approach viable. The analysis notes that Maddalena fought predominantly in a southpaw stance despite previous leg damage from Islam Makhachev, and when he switched to orthodox, Prates punished his left side with body kicks. Maddalena's slower kicks and inability to maintain long-range control limited his effectiveness. The breakdown suggests Maddalena's best chance would have been aggressive pressure and cage work, but he lacked the speed and was intimidated after taking a knee strike. Prates' confidence, versatility, and power from different angles overwhelmed Maddalena regardless of preparation. Looking ahead to a potential Islam Makhachev fight, the analysis notes that Prates has effectively damaged southpaws' lead legs with low kicks and possesses knockout power from various ranges, though questions remain about how he would handle Makhachev's wrestling and top control. The post also suggests UFC might consider matching Prates against Vicente Luque for a clear number one contender before a title shot.
