Analysis: Prates stopped Maddalena with leg kicks, poses threat to Makhachev

A detailed fight analysis reveals that Carlos Prates defeated Jack Della Maddalena by systematically destroying his legs with kicks, marking the first knockout loss for both Maddalena and Leon Edwards at Prates's hands. The analysis notes that Maddalena relied too heavily on a boxing guard defense, which proved ineffective against Prates's diverse arsenal of kicks, elbows, and knees. Maddalena fought predominantly in southpaw stance, and when he switched to orthodox, Prates damaged his left side with mid-kicks. The analyst suggests Maddalena's best chance was to be more aggressive as a pressure fighter, but he lacked the speed and aggression needed. Regarding a potential Makhachev matchup, the analysis notes that as a southpaw, Makhachev could be vulnerable to Prates's devastating leg kicks, though Makhachev's own high-level striking and wrestling could neutralize Prates after wearing him down. The post also suggests UFC might consider matching Prates against Shavkat Rakhmonov to determine a clear contender.