Jack Della Maddalena suffered the most brutal loss of his UFC career on Saturday night in Perth, falling to Carlos Prates in a one-sided welterweight bout. The former champion, fighting for the first time since losing his title to Islam Makhachev, struggled from the outset against the Brazilian knockout artist.
Della Maddalena's right leg took heavy damage from early kicks, but he found a path to victory by taking down Prates late in the first round. However, Prates reversed momentum in the second round, unleashing knees and elbows that left the Australian bloodied and dazed. A vicious leg kick late in the round sent Della Maddalena crashing to the canvas, causing him to limp.
Prates continued his assault in the third round, taking down Della Maddalena twice more and motioning for him to stand, seeking a knockout. With under two minutes remaining, Della Maddalena hit the canvas again and showed no desire to get up. Prates kicked his grounded opponent and landed brutal elbows before the referee stopped the fight.
In the co-main event, West Australia's Quillan Salkilld earned a first-round knockout victory over veteran Beneil Dariush. After surviving an early jab that stunned him, Salkilld reversed a takedown attempt and unleashed a series of hooks and jabs, leaving Dariush covering his head on the canvas. Flyweight Steve Erceg also won by unanimous decision over Tim Elliott, scoring 29-28 on all three judges' cards.
