UFC fighters analyze Prates's devastating knee strikes against Della Maddalena

Multiple UFC fighters have offered detailed analysis of Carlos Prates's striking performance, particularly his knee strikes, in his victory over Jack Della Maddalena. Cory Sandhagen praised Prates's powerful left knee that changed the fight, noting the unique technique of exploding upward rather than stepping into it, and highlighted how Prates used the knee threat to set up high kicks. Sandhagen also emphasized Prates's use of elbows to break through Della Maddalena's guard, comparing it to his own difficulties against Petr Yan's similar defense. Jorge Masvidal called it "one of the best knee performances I've seen in a long time," noting how the knee threat prevented Della Maddalena from working inside and compared Prates to "Mortal Kombat level" performance. Both Masvidal and Dustin Poirier noted that Prates's confidence in his takedown defense allowed him to throw knees more freely. Dean Thomas praised how Prates mixed his knees seamlessly with his hand strikes, making them difficult to see coming.