Multiple UFC fighters broke down Carlos Prates' striking performance, particularly his knee attacks, against an opponent referenced as DdM. Cory Sandhagen highlighted Prates' unique springing motion on his knees rather than stepping, creating exceptional power that repeatedly snapped his opponent's head back. Sandhagen also noted Prates' adaptation of transitioning the knee setup into high kicks that wrapped around the head when facing a southpaw. Jorge Masvidal praised how Prates' knee threat alone shut down his opponent's close-range boxing and body work, calling it some of the best knee work he'd seen in years. Dean Thomas observed how seamlessly Prates mixed knees with his hand strikes, making them nearly invisible. Dustin Poirier credited Prates with using knees and elbows to break through his opponent's guard, noting his fearlessness of takedowns allowed him to throw knees more aggressively.
