UFC fighters analyze Prates' devastating knee strikes against Della Maddalena

Multiple UFC fighters provided detailed technical analysis of Carlos Prates' knee strikes in his victory over Jack Della Maddalena. Cory Sandhagen highlighted how Prates generates unusual power by springing upward rather than stepping into the knee, and how he cleverly transitions the knee setup into high kicks that wrap around the head when facing southpaws. Sandhagen also praised Prates' use of ripping elbows to break through Della Maddalena's defensive guard, techniques Sandhagen himself couldn't employ against Petr Yan. Jorge Masvidal noted that Prates' knee threat neutralized Della Maddalena's body work and close-range boxing, calling it some of the best knee work he's seen in a long time. Masvidal suggested Prates' length and knee game could trouble wrestlers like Islam Makhachev, though he believes Makhachev's elite grappling would be a nightmare if secured early. Dean Thomas and Dustin Poirier both emphasized how effectively Prates mixed his knees with hand strikes and showed no fear of takedowns, which enabled more aggressive knee attacks.