Analysis reveals Della Maddalena's defensive flaws against Prates

A detailed post-fight analysis of Jack Della Maddalena's loss to Carlos Prates identifies critical tactical errors. Della Maddalena relied heavily on a boxing-style block defense approximately 90% of the time, which proved ineffective against Prates' diverse arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Despite training in orthodox stance after Islam Makhachev damaged his left leg, Della Maddalena spent most of the fight in southpaw, allowing Prates to attack his left side with middle kicks that left visible damage. The analysis notes Della Maddalena lacked the speed and aggression needed to pressure Prates effectively. Looking ahead to a potential Makhachev versus Prates matchup, the piece highlights that Prates has destroyed the lead legs of southpaws like Edwards and Della Maddalena with low kicks, sometimes achieving knockouts within 10-15 strikes. However, questions remain about whether Prates can maintain his striking confidence after enduring ground control from Makhachev.