UFC fighters praise Prates' knee strikes and technique against Della Maddalena

Multiple UFC fighters and analysts provided detailed breakdowns of Carlos Prates' striking performance against Jack Della Maddalena, particularly focusing on his knee strikes. Corey Sandhagen highlighted Prates' left knee as a game-changer, noting the unique springing motion and how Prates converted the knee threat into high kicks that wrapped around the head. Sandhagen also praised the elbows that broke through Della Maddalena's guard. Jorge Masvidal called it one of the best knee performances he'd seen in a long time, comparing it to Mortal Kombat, though he cautioned that Islam Makhachev's wrestling would present a completely different challenge. Dustin Poirier noted that Prates showed no fear of takedowns when throwing knees, which allowed him to strike more confidently. Dean Thomas emphasized how Prates mixed his knees seamlessly with his hand strikes, preventing Della Maddalena from entering boxing range.