Detailed breakdown: How Prates dominated Maddalena and what it means for Makhachev

A detailed fight analysis reveals that Jack Della Maddalena used a boxing block for approximately 90% of his defensive work against Carlos Prates, which proved ineffective against Prates' tornado of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Maddalena fought extensively in southpaw stance despite his left leg being damaged in previous fights, and Prates punished his left side with mid-kicks in the second round. Maddalena lacked the speed and aggression needed to pressure Prates effectively. The analyst notes that Prates destroyed both Leon Edwards' and Maddalena's lead legs in the first round as southpaws, demonstrating he can knock out opponents with leg kicks in 10-15 strikes. For a potential Makhachev fight, the analyst notes intrigue exists since Makhachev is also a southpaw and a high-level striker himself, but questions whether Prates can maintain his performance after being ground down. The UFC faces a decision whether to match Prates with Michael Morales first to determine a clear contender.