UFC fighters analyze Carlos Prates' devastating knee strikes against DdM

Multiple UFC fighters broke down Carlos Prates' striking performance, particularly his knee strikes, in his recent victory. Cory Sandhagen praised Prates' unique spring-loaded knee technique that generated exceptional power, noting how Prates transitioned the knee motion into high kicks that wrapped around opponents' heads. Sandhagen also highlighted Prates' use of elbows to break through defensive blocks. Jorge Masvidal called it some of the best knee work he's seen in a long time, comparing the performance to Mortal Kombat and noting how the knee threat alone disabled his opponent's offense. Dustin Poirier observed that Prates wasn't afraid of takedowns, which allowed him to throw knees more freely. Dean Thomas noted how seamlessly Prates mixed his knees with hand strikes, making them difficult to detect. The analysts discussed implications for a potential matchup with Islam Makhachev, with Masvidal suggesting Makhachev's wrestling could present serious problems.