MMA news: Carlos Prates outclasses Jack Della Maddalena in TKO win at UFC Fight Night Perth
Carlos Prates destroyed Jack Della Maddalena in the welterweight main event of UFC Fight Night Perth via third-round TKO on May 2, 2026.
Prates looked a different class to Della Maddalena on the feet, who struggled to deal with the range and piercing strikes of the Brazilian.
JDM was dropped multiple times by Prates - with the ref forced to stop the fight in the third round after the Australian soaked up a head kick, a nasty calf kick, then ground strikes after the ‘Nightmare’ swarmed him to end the fight.
Prates: ‘I’m number one’
“I can punch, I can knee, I can kick … so I’m better, and now I feel like I’m the number one contender,” Prates said after his dominant win.
“I can’t wait to see [Islam] Makhachev and Ian [Garry], and then I’m going to fight the winner.”
‘I’m next’ says Prates
"I should be next, you know, nobody beat two former champs in a really good way [like me]," Prates told reporters post-fight.
"They [Della Maddalena and Leon Edwards] never [previously] lost by knockout, and then I come there and make it look easy.
“Respect to them, they are tough, but against Leon, against JDM, I made it look easy.
"I'm the next [in line], I'm next. Of course, you have [Michael] Morales, but Morales didn't fight a former champ, I beat two former champs, so I [should] be next."
The future for Prates
With welterweight king Makhachev reportedly set to meet Garry in the octagon next, Prates has made the best case to fight the winner.
The level of danger in striking the Brazilian offers will give even someone of Makhachev’s calibre problems, however, whether Prates’ wrestling and grappling chops will hold up against the champ is yet to be seen.
Regardless, the Nightmare is a worthy future opponent for the Dagestani.
READ NEXT: MMA news: ‘We’ll die enemies’ says Sean Strickland on Khamzat Chimaev
