A detailed fight analysis notes that Jack Della Maddalena used a boxing block for approximately 90% of his defensive actions against Carlos Prates, which proved ineffective against Prates's diverse striking arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Maddalena fought primarily in southpaw stance despite concerns about his left leg after the Makhachev fight, and Prates attacked his left side heavily with mid-kicks in the second round. The analyst believes Maddalena's best chance was aggressive pressure to force Prates backward, but he lacked the speed and was cautious after absorbing a knee strike. Regarding a potential Makhachev-Prates matchup, the analysis notes Prates has effectively damaged southpaw opponents' right legs, including knocking out Maddalena with a low kick. The post suggests the UFC must decide whether to keep Prates on hold or match him with Michael Morales to determine a clear contender.
A detailed breakdown of Jack Della Maddalena's defeat to Carlos Prates has identified a critical tactical flaw: the Australian welterweight relied on a boxing block for roughly 90 percent of his defensive work, leaving him exposed to the full breadth of Prates's striking game.
Della Maddalena, ranked fourth at welterweight and 13th pound-for-pound, carries a 18-4 record and is one of the division's most active strikers, averaging 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy. The 29-year-old from Perth competes out of a switch stance, but the analysis notes he fought predominantly southpaw against Prates despite lingering concerns about his left leg stemming from his fight with Islam Makhachev. Prates exploited that directly, targeting Maddalena's left side with repeated mid-kicks in the second round before eventually finishing him with a low kick.
Carlos Prates, ranked fifth in the welterweight division, holds a 24-7 record and brings a 78-inch reach to his switch-hitting attack. The 32-year-old Brazilian lands 3.77 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy and mixes punches, kicks, elbows, and knees in a way that renders a pure boxing guard largely ineffective. The analysis points out that Prates has made a habit of damaging southpaw opponents' right legs, a pattern that proved decisive here.
According to the analyst, Maddalena's best path to victory would have been relentless forward pressure to push Prates onto the back foot, but he lacked the speed advantage needed to execute it and grew cautious after absorbing a knee early in the fight.
Why it matters
- Maddalena's defense-style limitation is now a documented vulnerability for future opponents to target
- Islam Makhachev, the welterweight champion, is also a southpaw with a similar leg-kick exposure profile, making a potential Prates title shot intriguing
- The UFC now faces a decision on Prates's next step — either a holding pattern or a matchup with Michael Morales to clarify the divisional contender picture
