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

Multiple UFC fighters provided detailed breakdowns of Carlos Prates's knee-strike technique following his victory over Jack Della Maddalena. Cory Sandhagen highlighted how Prates's left knee changed the fight, noting the Brazilian generates power not from stepping but by springing upward explosively, causing Della Maddalena's head to snap back. Sandhagen also praised Prates for mixing the knee setup with left high kicks that wrapped around the head, a technique requiring exceptional skill against southpaw opponents. Jorge Masvidal called it "some Mortal Kombat level stuff," emphasizing that the knee threat alone disabled Della Maddalena's close-range boxing and body work, describing it as "one of the best knee performances I've seen in a long time." Sandhagen additionally noted Prates's unique cutting elbows that broke through Della Maddalena's defensive shell, comparing them favorably to his own inability to penetrate Petr Yan's guard. Dustin Poirier and Dean Thomas also praised the seamless integration of knees with Prates's hand striking, with Poirier noting that Prates's confidence in his takedown defense allowed him to throw knees more aggressively.