UFC fighters analyze Carlos Prates' devastating knee and elbow techniques

Multiple UFC fighters provided detailed technical analysis of Carlos Prates' striking performance, particularly his knee strikes and elbows. Cory Sandhagen highlighted Prates' unique power-loaded knee technique that rocked his opponent, noting how he transitions the same motion into high kicks by wrapping over the head rather than traditional kicks. Sandhagen also praised Prates' use of chopping elbows to break through defensive blocks, calling it a technique his own shoulders can no longer accommodate. Jorge Masvidal emphasized how Prates' knees covered exceptional distance and created such a threat that they effectively shut down his opponent's ability to work in the clinch or box at close range. Masvidal compared the performance to "Mortal Kombat" level striking and discussed potential matchup implications against Islam Makhachev, suggesting Prates' knees could deter takedown attempts but that Makhachev's wrestling operates at a different stratosphere. Dean Thomas and Dustin Poirier added observations about how Prates mixed his knees seamlessly with hand strikes and demonstrated no fear of takedowns, which allowed him to throw the techniques more confidently.