Detailed breakdown reveals tactical issues in Della Maddalena loss to Prates

A detailed fight analysis identified multiple tactical problems in Jack Della Maddalena's approach against Carlos Prates. Approximately 90% of Della Maddalena's defensive work relied on a boxing-style guard that proved inadequate against Prates' diverse striking arsenal of kicks, elbows, knees, and punches. Della Maddalena fought primarily in southpaw stance despite having his left leg damaged by Islam Makhachev previously, and when he switched to orthodox, Prates destroyed his left side with mid-kicks. The analysis notes Della Maddalena lacked the speed and aggression needed to pressure Prates effectively. Looking ahead to a potential Makhachev-Prates matchup, the breakdown suggests Prates has proven he can damage the lead leg of southpaw fighters with low kicks, even achieving knockouts with them. However, questions remain about whether Prates can maintain his confidence and power after being controlled on the ground. The post concludes by suggesting the UFC may need to match Prates against another contender before a title shot.