Several prominent UFC fighters broke down Carlos Prates' striking performance, focusing particularly on his knee and elbow techniques. Cory Sandhagen provided detailed technical analysis, noting how Prates generates exceptional power by springing his entire body rather than just stepping into his knees, and how he cleverly transitions from knee threats to high kicks that wrap around the head. Sandhagen also praised Prates' use of chopping elbows to break through opponents' guards, calling it a unique high-level technique. Jorge Masvidal highlighted how Prates' knee threats covered significant distance and effectively shut down his opponent's offense, comparing the overall performance to "Mortal Kombat level" striking. Masvidal suggested these knees could stop wrestlers but acknowledged that if Islam Makhachev gets an early takedown, it would be a nightmare for Prates due to Makhachev's superior grappling. Dustin Poirier noted that Prates broke through the guard with knees and elbows, and that his fearlessness of takedowns allows him to throw knees more aggressively. The consensus among fighters was that Prates demonstrated some of the best knee work seen in recent MMA history.
