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Carlos Prates cemented himself as the hottest name in the UFC welterweight division with a dominant stoppage of Jack Della Maddalena at UFC Perth, a victory that keeps his streak of highlight finishes intact and raises immediate questions about where he lands in the title race. The win underlined a rapid rise that has seen Prates finish almost every opponent he’s beaten inside the Octagon.
Decisive night in Perth
Prates controlled the pace from the opening bell, pressuring Della Maddalena and repeatedly targeting his leg before closing the show in the third round. Judges’ statistics credited Prates with a heavy volume of significant strikes, and two knockdowns — one in round two and another in round three — set up the follow-up barrage that forced the referee to stop the fight.
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The result was emphatic rather than close: a technical knockout after a sustained sequence of strikes and ground follow-ups. For fans and matchmakers alike, it was another example of Prates’ ability to convert pressure into a finish.
Where this puts Prates
What matters now is momentum. Prates has not just collected wins; he has been consistently ending fights and collecting performance bonuses, a combination that fast-tracks fighters into contention conversations.
- Path to the UFC: Earned a contract via Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023, stopping Mitch Ramirez.
- Breakout year (2024): Four fights, four stoppages — wins over Trevin Giles, Charles Radtke, Li Jingliang and Neil Magny — and multiple post-fight bonuses.
- Only UFC loss: Fell short in a title-eliminator against Ian Machado Garry in April 2025, a fight where he struggled early but rallied late.
- Rebound and rise: Followed that setback with a memorable knockout of Geoff Neal and, now, back-to-back wins over former welterweight champions.
Since the start of 2024, Prates has won seven UFC fights, finishing every opponent in those victories and collecting bonuses for several performances. Notably, the fight against Della Maddalena was the first of those wins to extend beyond the second round.
Title picture: not guaranteed, but clear pathway
A single loss in the Octagon hasn’t derailed him, but it does make the path to an immediate title shot less certain. Matchmakers typically weigh recent form, quality of opposition and marketability; Prates now ticks the first two boxes emphatically.
To force the issue, another high-profile win — ideally against a former champion or a rapidly rising contender — would make it difficult to justify leaving him off the short list for a title eliminator. Names currently circulating in the division would make sensible next steps, and a highlight-reel finish would accelerate his case.
For the division, Prates’ surge changes match-making calculus: he is no longer just a prospect, but a proven finisher who can reshape the top five with a single night. That makes his next matchup one to watch for anyone tracking the welterweight title hunt.
