UFC fighters analyze Prates' devastating knee strikes against Della Maddalena

Multiple UFC veterans offered technical breakdowns of Carlos Prates' knee strikes in his victory over Jack Della Maddalena. Cory Sandhagen highlighted how Prates generates exceptional power by springing his entire body upward rather than simply stepping, and how he cleverly mixes knees with high kicks by starting with the same setup. Sandhagen also praised Prates' use of elbows to break through Della Maddalena's defensive shell, comparing it to his own difficulties against Petr Yan's guard. Jorge Masvidal noted that Prates' knee threat effectively shut down Della Maddalena's entire close-range game, calling it some of the best knee work he's seen in years. However, Masvidal warned that Islam Makhachev's wrestling could pose problems if he secures an early takedown. Dustin Poirier and Dean Thomas both emphasized how seamlessly Prates integrates his knees with his punching, making them difficult to anticipate, and how his confidence in his takedown defense allows him to throw knees aggressively.