Surging UFC welterweight contender Carlos Prates is already talking like a man who expects to steal the show against Jack Della Maddalena.
Confidence is not in short supply ahead of Carlos Prates’ next assignment. The hard-hitting Brazilian is set to meet Jack Della Maddalena on May 3, and he is making it clear he believes the matchup ends with another knockout. The bout is expected to have major implications in the UFC welterweight picture, a division that is suddenly crowded with new contenders trying to separate themselves from the pack.
Speaking in an interview with Ariel Helwani, Prates said he plans to knock out Della Maddalena and argued that a win of that magnitude would leave little doubt about his case for a title opportunity. In his view, stopping Della Maddalena would give him a second knockout over a former champion-level name and make him impossible to ignore in the title conversation.
That is the real intrigue here. For Prates, this is a chance to prove his power translates against one of the division’s most polished boxers and most respected names. For Della Maddalena, the fight is about reasserting himself as a top-tier welterweight and showing he is still one of the most dangerous offensive fighters in the class. American MMA fans have largely viewed this as the kind of matchup that can produce a true breakthrough moment: high-level striking, real finishing threat, and meaningful stakes in a division looking for its next clear challenger.
There is also a stylistic hook that makes this fight especially compelling. Prates has built his reputation on pressure and finishing ability, while Della Maddalena is known for clean boxing, sharp timing, and composure in the pocket. If Prates wins in the fashion he is predicting, his push for a shot at UFC gold gets much louder. If Della Maddalena turns him back, he protects his place near the top and reminds the division why he has long been considered a serious contender.
Prates and Della Maddalena are scheduled to square off May 3, with the welterweight division likely to be watching closely for what comes next.
