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.
Several prominent UFC fighters took to social media and media appearances to break down the knee strike artistry Carlos Prates displayed in his most recent victory, offering technical analysis that painted a detailed picture of why his clinch work is so difficult to defend.
Cory Sandhagen, one of the sharpest technical minds in the sport, pointed out that Prates generates his knee power not by simply stepping into range but by springing upward, a subtle mechanical difference that produced the kind of force that visibly snapped his opponent's head back. Sandhagen also highlighted Prates' unorthodox chopping elbows, describing them as meaningfully different from standard elbow technique and crediting them with dismantling defensive guards that even elite strikers have maintained successfully — citing Petr Yan as a notable example. Sandhagen further noted how Prates layers the knee threat into a setup for high kicks that wrap around the head, making the entire system harder to read.
Jorge Masvidal, the 41-year-old American Top Team veteran who carries a 35-17 record and averages over four significant strikes per minute across his career, called it some of the best knee work he has witnessed in years. Masvidal was particularly struck by how the threat of Prates' knees alone neutralized his opponent's willingness to engage in the clinch. At the same time, Masvidal raised a pointed caution, noting that the wrestling of Islam Makhachev — the current welterweight champion who averages 3.2 takedowns per fifteen minutes and holds a 28-1 record — could present a nightmare stylistic problem for Prates.
Dustin Poirier, the 37-year-old American Top Team standout with a 30-10 record and a 50 percent striking accuracy rate, joined Dean Thomas in emphasizing how fluidly Prates blends his knees with punches and elbows, describing a combination game that breaks through guards before defenders can reset.
Why it matters
- Prates' knee-strike system is drawing elite-level recognition as a genuinely novel threat in his division
- The hand-knee-elbow combinations create layered defensive problems that high-level opponents have struggled to solve
- Masvidal's warning about Makhachev's wrestling underscores the central question surrounding Prates' upward trajectory
