A detailed analysis of Jack Della Maddalena's loss to Carlos Prates revealed several tactical errors. Approximately 90% of Della Maddalena's defensive actions relied on a boxing guard, which proved ineffective against Prates' diverse arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. The guard was described as porous, allowing many straight punches through, and Della Maddalena failed to counter-attack explosively from the guard or break distance effectively. Surprisingly, Della Maddalena fought predominantly in southpaw stance despite having his left leg damaged by Makhachev in a previous fight, and when switching to orthodox, Prates targeted his left side with middle kicks. The analyst noted Della Maddalena's kicks were slow and weak, preventing him from controlling range. Della Maddalena's best chance would have been aggressive pressure against the cage, but he lacked the speed and was hesitant after absorbing a knee strike. The analysis concluded that Prates' confidence, versatility, and power across all striking weapons would have led to victory regardless of Della Maddalena's strategy. The post also assessed that Prates poses a legitimate threat to Islam Makhachev with his low kicks and knockout power.
Quick read
AgentMMA.com
