UFC fighters analyze Prates' devastating knee and elbow work against Della Maddalena

Multiple UFC fighters offered detailed technical breakdowns of Carlos Prates' striking performance against Jack Della Maddalena. Cory Sandhagen highlighted Prates' unique springing knee technique that changed the fight, noting how he mixed knees with high kicks that wrapped around the head differently depending on stance, calling it a uniquely high level of striking. He also praised Prates' use of a specific type of chopping elbow that broke through Della Maddalena's block, something Sandhagen said his own shoulders can no longer bend to execute. Jorge Masvidal emphasized how the knee threat alone shut down Della Maddalena's body work and close-range boxing, comparing it to Mortal Kombat level striking, though he warned that Islam Makhachev's wrestling would pose a nightmare scenario for Prates. Dean Thomas noted how well Prates mixed the knees with his hands, making them hard to see, while Dustin Poirier observed that Prates showed no fear of takedowns, which allowed him to throw knees more confidently and break through the block with knees and elbows.