Current No.1 ranked UFC welterweight Jack Della Maddalena will fight Brazilian Carlos Prates in his home city of Perth on Saturday 2 May.
The UFC announced the bout on Sunday morning with the Australian to headline ‘UFC Fight Night: Della Maddalena v Prates’ at RAC Arena.
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The fight night will also be a first of its kind in Australia with the event to be held in prime-time for Australian audiences.
The prelims will begin at 4pm local time (6pm AEST) before the main card kicks off at 7pm local times (9pm AEST).
Former champion Della Maddalena will wrap up the event with his five round bout against the fighter they call ‘The Nightmare’.
“Perth, we are taking it to the next level with UFC Fight Night Perth in 2026” Peter Kloczko, Senior Vice President of UFC Australia and New Zealand, said.
“This event will mark another step forward for UFC in Australia, continuing to build broader local interest and demand for our sport. We expect a huge demand for tickets and our largest UFC Fight Night viewership across the country.
“I want to thank the WA Government and Tourism Western Australia for the special partnership we have built over many years that allow for positive developments such as these”.
It will be the Della Maddalena’s first fight since he was beaten Islam Makhachev at New York’s Madison Square Garden in November.
The Australian was undefeated in the UFC until that meeting, having gone on an 18-win streak before losing to the current welterweight champion.
Meanwhile, Prates is no stranger to Perth, having fought in the Western Australian capital during UFC 305: du Plessis vs. Adesanya in 2024.