Analysis: Maddalena's defensive approach failed against Prates' versatile attack

A detailed breakdown reveals Jack Della Maddalena executed approximately 90% of his defensive actions using a boxing block against Carlos Prates, which proved ineffective against Prates' diverse arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Maddalena surprisingly fought primarily in southpaw stance despite previous issues, and when he switched to orthodox, Prates damaged his left side with mid-kicks. The analyst notes Maddalena's best chance was aggressive pressure at the cage, but he lacked the speed and commitment, while Prates showed exceptional confidence and versatility. Looking ahead to a potential Makhachev vs. Prates fight, the analysis notes Prates has destroyed the lead legs of southpaws Edwards and Maddalena within the first round. While acknowledging Prates' dangerous striking, the piece questions whether he could maintain his effectiveness after being controlled on the ground by Makhachev for a full round. The post also suggests UFC might consider booking Prates vs. Morales to determine a clear contender.