UFC fighters break down Prates' devastating knee strikes against Della Maddalena

Multiple UFC fighters provided detailed technical analysis of Carlos Prates' exceptional knee striking performance against Jack Della Maddalena. Cory Sandhagen highlighted how Prates' left knee fundamentally changed the fight, noting the unique spring-loaded power generation rather than traditional stepping technique, and how Prates effectively transitioned the knee threat into high kicks that wrapped around his opponent's head. Jorge Masvidal emphasized how the knee threat completely shut down Della Maddalena's ability to work in the clinch or box at close range, calling it some of the best knee work he'd seen in years, though he cautioned that Islam Makhachev's wrestling would present a nightmare scenario for Prates. Dustin Poirier noted how the knees and elbows broke through Della Maddalena's defensive guard, and that Prates' fearlessness of takedowns allowed him to throw knees with complete confidence. Dean Thomas added that Prates' knees were difficult to see coming because they were well-mixed with his hand striking. The consensus among the fighters was that Prates displayed elite-level, unique striking technique.