Multiple UFC fighters provided technical breakdowns of Carlos Prates' knee strikes in his fight against Dricus Du Plessis. Cory Sandhagen highlighted the unique power generation, noting Prates doesn't simply step into the knee but springs his entire body upward, and that he cleverly mixed the knee setup with high kicks that wrapped around the head. Jorge Masvidal emphasized how the knee threat completely shut down Du Plessis's close-range boxing and clinch work, calling it some of the best knee work he's seen in years. Dustin Poirier noted that Prates' lack of fear about takedowns allowed him to throw knees more confidently. Dean Thomas praised how well Prates concealed the knees by mixing them with hand strikes, preventing Du Plessis from closing the distance for boxing exchanges.
