UFC fighters analyze Carlos Prates' devastating knee strikes against DdM

Multiple UFC fighters offered detailed breakdowns of Carlos Prates' knee strike technique following his recent victory. Cory Sandhagen highlighted how Prates generates exceptional power by springing upward rather than simply stepping, creating knees that visibly snapped his opponent's head back, and noted how Prates cleverly transitions the knee setup into high kicks that wrap around the head. Jorge Masvidal praised Prates' ability to cover distance with his knees and how the threat alone neutralized his opponent's clinch game, calling it some of the best knee work he's seen in years, though he cautioned that Islam Makhachev's wrestling could be a nightmare for Prates. Dustin Poirier and Dean Thomas both emphasized how Prates mixed his knees seamlessly with his hands and elbows, breaking through defensive guards. Sandhagen also noted Prates' unique chopping elbows that differ from standard techniques, crediting them with dismantling blocks that even high-level strikers like Petr Yan successfully maintained.