Brace yourself: a marquee UFC showdown is headed to Perth, and the headline duel is one fans won’t want to miss.
But here’s where it gets intriguing... former UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena is slated to return to the octagon in a main-event tilt against Carlos Prates at a UFC Fight Night in Perth, Australia, on May 2. The UFC confirmed the pairing on Saturday, following an initial report from ESPN.
This marks Della Maddalena’s first appearance since his title bid ended with a unanimous decision loss to Islam Makhachev last November. Before that setback, he had been undefeated in the UFC and had delivered a signature upset via stoppage of Belal Muhammad to claim the belt.
Now he comes home to headline a card in May, aiming to rebound at the highest level against a rising welterweight in Prates.
Prates has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting talents in the UFC’s welterweight division. He’s riding a two-fight win streak after suffering his lone UFC defeat to Ian Machado Garry. Since that loss, Prates has defeated former welterweight champion Leon Edwards and Geoff Neal in successive showings, underscoring his rapid ascent. He’ll attempt to extend that streak to three by knocking off Della Maddalena in May.
With the main event lined up, the UFC is expected to unveil additional bouts for the Perth card in the weeks ahead as more matchups are finalized.
Would you rather see Della Maddalena reclaim his championship form or favor Prates’ rising momentum in what could be a pivotal moment in both fighters’ careers? Share your thoughts in the comments.
