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.
A wave of praise from UFC fighters and commentators has followed Carlos Prates' striking display against Jack Della Maddalena, with several notable names offering detailed technical breakdowns of what made the performance stand out.
Corey Sandhagen described Prates' left knee as a genuine game-changer, pointing to an unusual springing motion that created problems Della Maddalena could not solve. Sandhagen also noted how Prates leveraged the constant knee threat to set up high kicks that wrapped around his opponent's head, and highlighted a series of elbows that cut through Della Maddalena's guard when he tried to shell up.
Jorge Masvidal, the 41-year-old American Top Team veteran who holds a professional record of 35 wins and 17 losses, described it as one of the finest knee performances he had witnessed in years, drawing a comparison to Mortal Kombat. Masvidal did temper the excitement, however, cautioning that welterweight champion Islam Makhachev's wrestling would represent an entirely different kind of problem for Prates to solve.
Makhachev, the 34-year-old Russian champion who is also ranked first in the pound-for-pound standings, backs up his 28-1 record with an elite grappling foundation, averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes with a striking accuracy of 58 percent.
Dustin Poirier, the 37-year-old American southpaw with a 30-10 record, offered a tactical observation: Prates showed no concern about being taken down while throwing knees, and that mental freedom translated directly into more confident and committed striking throughout the fight.
Dean Thomas rounded out the analysis by focusing on combination structure, explaining that Prates blended his knees so naturally into his hand combinations that Della Maddalena was never able to close the distance and establish his preferred boxing range.
Why it matters
- Prates' knee game has drawn rare technical praise from fighters with elite striking credentials
- The consensus among analysts is that his output and variety disrupted a top-level opponent's entire game plan
- Masvidal's mention of Makhachev signals that the welterweight title picture remains firmly in the conversation around Prates' future
