Multiple UFC fighters and analysts praised Carlos Prates' knee strike technique following his performance against an opponent referred to as DDM. Cory Sandhagen described Prates' left knee as a game-changer, noting it wasn't a simple step-in knee but involved a powerful spring-loaded motion that snapped the opponent's head back, and Prates transitioned the knee setup into high kicks that wrapped around the head. Sandhagen also highlighted Prates' use of slicing elbows to break through DDM's guard, a challenge Sandhagen himself faced against Petr Yan, and noted Prates' unique elbow angle that differs from standard tomahawks. Jorge Masvidal called it some of the best knee work he'd seen in a long time, comparing Prates' style to Mortal Kombat, and discussed how the knee threat could neutralize wrestlers like Islam Makhachev on level changes, though he believes Makhachev's grappling would be a nightmare if he secured an early takedown. Dean Thomas noted how well Prates mixed his knees with hand strikes, making them difficult to see. Dustin Poirier observed that Prates broke DDM's guard with knees and elbows, and his fearlessness of takedowns allowed him to throw knees more confidently.
