Daniel Cormier Praises Carlos Prates for Outdoing Islam Makhachev Against JDM

Daniel Cormier praises UFC Perth main eventer Carlos Prates for doing what Islam Makhachev couldn't against Jack Della Maddalena.

Daniel Cormier Praises Carlos Prates for Outdoing Islam Makhachev Against JDM

Daniel Cormier believes Carlos Prates has outdone Islam Makhachev [via BBC, BJ Penn.com, CBS Sports]

In Short
  • Carlos Prates defeated Jack Della Maddalena at UFC Perth, showcasing a striking clinic and securing a knockout in round 3.
  • Daniel Cormier praised Prates for outdoing Islam Makhachev's previous performance against JDM, highlighting the finish as more impressive.
  • Prates sustained a leg injury from his leg kicks during the fight but is expected to recover quickly, positioning him for a future title shot.

Carlos Prates made a statement at UFC Perth with his win over Jack Della Maddalena. The ‘Nightmare’ beat the former champion while putting on a striking clinic. Following this incredible showing, UFC legend Daniel Cormier believes Prates has outdone the current welterweight champion Islam Makhachev.

The Dagestani double champion laid out the blueprint to beating JDM with his leg-kick-heavy approach at UFC 322, but Prates perfected it. Much like Makhachev, Carlos Prates employed leg kicks to slow JDM’s movement, but his goal wasn’t to grapple the Australian as the champion did.

Instead, the Brazilian inflicted heavy damage on Maddalena with his knees up the middle negating his opponent’s high guard. The result was Carlos Prates knocking out the former champion in round 3 after rendering his lead leg useless with a leg kick.

Daniel Cormier believes the ‘Nightmare’ has one-upped Makhachev by getting the finish over the Australian in this fashion.

We saw what Islam did to Jack to win the championship. We saw him dominate Jack to win the championship. The way Islam beat Jack was not nearly as impressive as what Carlos Prates did [at UFC Perth]. Islam made it look easy, but that [Carlos’ performance] was crazy. It looked like Della Maddalena didn’t belong in there with Prates.

Daniel Cormier via his YouTube channel

In all fairness, Islam Makhachev also systematically dismantled Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 to win the welterweight title. He took the Australian down at will and ended the fight with over 19 minutes of control time. However, Makhachev wasn’t able to finish his opponent, something that was held against him by his detractors.

By doing what Makhachev couldn’t, Carlos Prates has made his case for a fight against the champion much more credible. The Brazilian had already called his shot heading into UFC Perth, hailing Makhachev as the GOAT and looking to fight him after his first welterweight title defense.

The commentators at UFC Perth speculated that the ‘Nightmare’ could leapfrog the contenders ahead of him after this win. However, what happened to Carlos Prates following his octagon heroics at UFC Perth may just mean he needs a little time to rest and recuperate.

Carlos Prates wheeled around in a shopping cart after a leg injury at UFC Perth

The ‘Nightmare’ did a lot of damage to Jack Della Maddalena’s legs at UFC Perth. Even the final sequence of the fight began with a leg kick, knocking down JDM, leaving him hurt on the ground. However, it seems the damage to the Australian fighter’s legs came at the cost of Prates’ own.

Carlos Prates, Jack Della Maddalena
Carlos Prates brutalizes Jack Della Maddalena at UFC Perth [via Yahoo Sports]

The morning after the fight, the Brazilian welterweight was wheeled down to the lobby of his hotel in a shopping cart. He seems to have injured his left leg after landing 14 out of his 15 leg kick attempts on Jack Della Maddalena. The ‘Nightmare’ was sporting a big boot as he arrived in a shopping cart. Even so, he was still able to put his weight on it and walk around, albeit with a slight limp.

The injury does not appear to be very serious and likely will not keep him out of competition for very long. That said, with Islam Makhachev already in training camp for his next fight, it is unlikely that the ‘Nightmare’ will be able to make such a quick turnaround.

In all likelihood, the rumored fight against Ian Garry will be Islam Makhachev’s first defense of the welterweight title. However, with sensational wins over former champions in his last two fights, Carlos Prates has cemented himself as the frontrunner for a future title shot.

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