Multiple UFC fighters and analysts have broken down Carlos Prates' exceptional knee strike performance in his recent fight. Cory Sandhagen highlighted how Prates generates power by springing upward rather than stepping, and noted his ability to transition the knee threat into high kicks that wrap around the opponent's head when facing a southpaw stance. Jorge Masvidal described the knees as "Mortal Kombat level" and praised how the knee threat alone neutralized the opponent's clinch boxing and body work, though he cautioned that Islam Makhachev's wrestling could pose problems. Dustin Poirier observed that Prates showed no fear of takedowns, which allowed him to throw knees more freely. Dean Thomas noted how Prates effectively mixed his knees with hand strikes, making them difficult to see and preventing opponents from entering boxing range. The consensus among fighters is that Prates' knee work represents some of the best they've seen in recent memory.
