A detailed fight analysis reveals that Jack Della Maddalena relied heavily on a boxing-style block defense, which proved ineffective against Carlos Prates' multi-dimensional striking attack involving kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Della Maddalena's block was described as porous, allowing numerous straight punches through, and he lacked the explosive counter-punching ability to capitalize from defensive positions. The analyst was surprised that Della Maddalena fought predominantly in southpaw stance despite his left leg being damaged in previous fights, and when he switched to orthodox, Prates punished his left side with middle kicks. The breakdown suggests Della Maddalena's best chance was to pressure Prates aggressively against the cage, but he lacked the speed and aggression to implement this strategy. Looking ahead to a potential Makhachev vs. Prates matchup, the analysis notes that Prates has consistently damaged the lead leg of southpaw opponents with low kicks and could threaten Makhachev on the feet, though Makhachev's wrestling and top control would present significant challenges. The post also suggests a potential eliminator bout between Prates and Joaquin Buckley to determine a clear number-one contender.
