Detailed breakdown reveals Maddalena's defensive flaws against Prates

A post-fight analysis of the Prates versus Maddalena bout reveals several tactical issues that contributed to Maddalena's knockout loss. Approximately 90% of Maddalena's defensive actions consisted of a boxing block, which proved ineffective against Prates's diverse arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Maddalena fought extensively in southpaw stance despite having his left leg damaged by Makhachev in a previous fight, and when he switched to orthodox, Prates targeted his left side with middle kicks. The analysis notes Maddalena lacked the speed and aggression needed to pressure Prates effectively, while Prates demonstrated exceptional confidence, power, and versatility from all angles. Regarding a potential Makhachev versus Prates matchup, the breakdown suggests Prates has proven capable of damaging southpaw opponents' lead legs with as few as 10-15 low kicks, though questions remain about how he would perform after being taken down and controlled. The post suggests the UFC may need to decide between booking Prates against Makhachev immediately or having him face Michael Morales first to determine a clear number one contender.