Analysis: Jack Della Maddalena's boxing-heavy defense failed against Prates

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.