Multiple UFC fighters offered detailed technical breakdowns of Carlos Prates' knee strikes in his victory over Jack Della Maddalena. Cory Sandhagen highlighted how Prates' left knee changed the fight, noting the uniquespring-loaded power behind the strikes rather than traditional step-in technique. He also praised Prates' ability to transition the knee threat into high kicks that wrapped around JDM's head. Jorge Masvidal compared the performance to Mortal Kombat, noting how the knee threat alone disabled JDM's close-range boxing and body work. Dustin Poirier emphasized that Prates' lack of takedown fear allowed him to throw knees more confidently. Dean Thomas noted how effectively Prates mixed his knees with hand strikes, making them difficult to see.
Several UFC fighters took to social media and commentary platforms to dissect Carlos Prates' striking masterclass against Jack Della Maddalena, offering a rare collective technical breakdown of one of the sport's most talked-about recent performances.
Cory Sandhagen was among the most detailed in his analysis, zeroing in on how Prates' left knee fundamentally shifted the momentum of the fight. Sandhagen pointed out that the power behind those strikes came not from a traditional step-in approach but from a spring-loaded mechanical action, making them faster and harder to anticipate. He also noted how Prates weaponized the threat of the knee to set up high kicks that curved around Della Maddalena's guard.
Jorge Masvidal, the 41-year-old American Top Team veteran carrying a 35-17-0 professional record, likened the display to something out of Mortal Kombat. His key observation was tactical: the constant knee threat alone was enough to neutralize Della Maddalena's close-range boxing and body attack, forcing him to second-guess his own offense.
Dustin Poirier, the 37-year-old southpaw from the United States with a 30-10-0 record, brought a different angle. The veteran, who averages 5.24 significant strikes per minute over his career, emphasized that Prates' apparent comfort with takedown exchanges gave him the freedom to throw knees without hesitation, removing a layer of risk that would make most fighters more conservative.
Dean Thomas rounded out the analysis by highlighting how seamlessly Prates blended his knee strikes with hand combinations, keeping opponents unable to track where the danger was coming from at any given moment.
Why it matters
- Prates' victory over Della Maddalena has welterweight contenders and coaches studying his striking toolkit closely
- The knee-as-threat concept identified by Masvidal and Sandhagen signals a potential stylistic problem for any opponent who relies on inside boxing
- Poirier's takedown observation underlines how wrestling confidence directly expands a fighter's offensive range on the feet
