Why Jack Della Maddalena beats Carlos Prates at UFC Perth

Jack Della Maddalena probably preferred his view from the Ultimate Fighting Championship penthouse, even if only lasted a little more than six months. The former undisputed welterweight champion will take his first step toward reclaiming the 170-pound crown when he confronts Carlos Prates in the UFC Fight Night 275 headliner on Saturday at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. Della Maddalena enters the Octagon as a slight underdog against the dangerous Vale Top Team- and Fighting Nerds -trained Brazilian.

Even so, he appears to have multiple paths to victory ahead of his latest high-profile assignment. A look at three reasons why Della Maddalena beats Prates in the UFC’s first visit to Australia in almost three months: Chin Della Maddalena may bend, but he does not break. The 29-year-old crooked-nosed Aussie steps back into the spotlight having won 18 of his past 19 bouts—a ridiculous run of sustained success rarely seen at any level of mixed martial arts.

Durability has been an essential spoke in the Della Maddalena wheel, as he has been stopped by strikes only once in his 21-fight career. That lone setback occurred in his pro debut more than a decade ago on March 12, 2016, when he was just 19 years old. Della Maddalena’s ability to take punishment has certainly served him well with in the UFC, where opponents have yet to be credited with a knockdown against him despite his having absorbed nearly 400 significant strikes across 23 rounds of hand-to-hand combat.

Prates has relied heavily on finishes throughout his time in the sport, with 21 of his 23 victories having resulted in either a knockout or a submission. If “The Nightmare” wants to get past Della Maddalena, he probably needs all five rounds to do it. Volume Della Maddalena marches into the match at a two-inch disadvantage in height and five-inch deficit in reach.