Several UFC fighters provided detailed analysis of Carlos Prates' striking performance, particularly his knee strikes and elbows. Cory Sandhagen described Prates' left knee as a game-changer, noting the unique spring-loaded power and how he transitions from knee threats to high kicks that wrap around opponents' heads. Sandhagen praised the technique as exceptionally high-level and highlighted how Prates used elbows to break through defensive guards in ways he himself couldn't against Petr Yan. Jorge Masvidal emphasized how Prates' knees covered significant distance and disabled his opponent's close-range boxing and clinch work, comparing the performance to Mortal Combat. Masvidal suggested Prates' length and knee strikes could stop wrestlers like Islam Makhachev when they change levels, though he cautioned that Makhachev's wrestling is on another level. Dean Thomas noted how well Prates disguised his knees while mixing them with hand strikes. Dustin Poirier observed that Prates showed no fear of takedowns, which allowed him to throw knees more confidently and break through his opponent's guard with knees and elbows.
