A detailed fight analysis reveals that Jack Della Maddalena relied heavily on boxing blocks for defense, which proved ineffective against Carlos Prates's diverse striking arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Della Maddalena fought predominantly in southpaw stance despite his left leg being previously damaged in the Makhachev fight, and Prates attacked his left side with middle kicks that left visible damage by round two. The analyst notes that Della Maddalena's chance was to be aggressively offensive and press Prates against the cage, but he lacked the speed and aggression needed. Prates demonstrated exceptional versatility, striking power from multiple angles, and unwavering confidence that made him feel no threat from Della Maddalena. Regarding a potential Makhachev versus Prates matchup, the analysis notes that Prates has effectively destroyed the lead legs of southpaws like Edwards and Della Maddalena with 10-15 leg kicks, creating knockout potential, but questions whether Prates can maintain his striking prowess after being controlled on the ground. The post suggests UFC might consider matching Prates with Shavkat Rakhmonov to determine a clear number one contender.
