UFC fighters provided detailed analysis of Carlos Prates' knee strikes in his victory over Jack Della Maddalena. Cory Sandhagen explained that Prates' left knee was the game-changing attack, noting the unique spring-loaded power and how Prates converted the knee threat into high kicks by wrapping around the head when facing a southpaw. Sandhagen also highlighted Prates' ripping elbows that broke through Della Maddalena's block, which had previously stymied Sandhagen against Petr Yan. Jorge Masvidal praised how the knee threat alone disabled Della Maddalena's body work and close-range boxing, calling it some of the best knee work he's seen in a long time. Dustin Poirier noted that Prates broke through the block with knees and elbows, and appeared unafraid of takedowns which allowed him to throw knees more confidently. Dean Thomas observed that Prates effectively mixed knees with hand strikes, making them difficult to see.
UFC fighters have been dissecting the technical brilliance behind Carlos Prates' knee strikes following his victory over Jack Della Maddalena, with several high-profile names offering detailed breakdowns of what made the attack so difficult to solve.
Cory Sandhagen identified Prates' left knee as the decisive weapon of the fight, pointing to its unique spring-loaded power as a quality that set it apart from conventional knee strikes. Sandhagen also noted how Prates exploited the southpaw matchup by wrapping around the head to convert knee threats into high kicks, creating a layered and unpredictable offensive system. Notably, Sandhagen drew from personal experience, referencing how ripping elbows similar to those Prates used had broken through Della Maddalena's guard — the same style of block that had previously given Sandhagen trouble against Petr Yan.
Jorge Masvidal, the 41-year-old American Top Team veteran carrying a 35-17 record, praised the strategic impact of Prates' knee threat beyond the strikes themselves. Masvidal observed that the constant danger of the knee alone was enough to neutralize Della Maddalena's body work and close-range boxing, calling it some of the best knee work he has seen in a long time.
Dustin Poirier, the 37-year-old southpaw from the United States with a 30-10 record, added another dimension to the analysis. Poirier noted that Prates appeared unbothered by the threat of takedowns, and suggested that confidence against the grappling threat gave him the freedom to commit more fully to throwing knees throughout the fight.
Dean Thomas rounded out the commentary by highlighting how effectively Prates blended knees with hand strikes, making the knee difficult to track and anticipate.
Why it matters
- Prates' knee system created a multi-layered threat that disrupted Della Maddalena's entire close-range game
- The analysis from experienced fighters suggests the technique has implications beyond this single matchup, pointing to a potential blueprint problem for welterweights
- Fighters noted both the physical mechanics and the psychological impact of the knee threat as key factors in the outcome
