A detailed breakdown reveals how Carlos Prates dominated Jack Della Maddalena through superior striking diversity and aggression. Della Maddalena relied heavily on a boxing guard defense (approximately 90% of defensive actions), which proved ineffective against Prates's tornado of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. The Australian spent considerable time fighting in southpaw stance, and when he switched to orthodox, Prates punished his left side with mid-kicks, leaving it visibly red by the second round. Della Maddalena lacked the speed and aggression needed to pressure Prates against the cage, while Prates demonstrated exceptional confidence and versatility with strikes from multiple angles. The analysis suggests Prates would have prevailed regardless of Della Maddalena's preparation due to his momentum and all-around striking skills. Regarding a potential matchup with Islam Makhachev, the post notes Prates has proven dangerous to southpaws with leg kicks and presents legitimate knockout threat, though Makhachev's wrestling and striking defense could pose significant challenges.
