Multiple UFC fighters provided detailed technical breakdowns of Carlos Prates' knee strike performance in his recent bout, with particular focus on the power and uniqueness of his technique. Cory Sandhagen emphasized that Prates' left knee changed the fight, noting the unusual mechanics where Prates springs upward rather than stepping, generating exceptional force that visibly snapped his opponent's head back. Sandhagen also highlighted Prates' ability to transition the knee setup into high kicks by wrapping over the head, and praised his use of elbows to break through defensive guards. Jorge Masvidal called it some of the best knee work he'd seen in a long time, noting how the threat of the knees completely shut down his opponent's close-range boxing and clinch work. Masvidal compared Prates' performance to "Mortal Kombat" and suggested his knees could trouble even elite wrestlers like Islam Makhachev, though he acknowledged Makhachev's grappling would pose serious problems. Dustin Poirier and Dean Thomas also praised how Prates mixed knees with his boxing to break guards and control distance.
