UFC fighters analyze Carlos Prates' knee strikes in Della Maddalena victory

Multiple UFC fighters provided detailed breakdowns of Carlos Prates' striking performance against Jack Della Maddalena, focusing particularly on his devastating knee strikes. Cory Sandhagen noted that Prates' left knee changed the fight, emphasizing the unique spring-loaded power generated from his entire body rather than just stepping into the strike. Sandhagen also highlighted how Prates used knee feints to set up high kicks and employed elbows to break through Della Maddalena's guard. Jorge Masvidal praised the knees as some of the best he has seen in a long time, noting how the threat alone prevented Della Maddalena from working inside or clinching. Dustin Poirier observed that Prates showed no fear of takedowns when throwing knees, which allowed him to strike more freely. Dean Thomas commented on how seamlessly Prates mixed knees with his hand striking, making them difficult to see coming.