Makhachev Pursues Historic Double-Champ Status Against Welterweight Champion Della Maddalena at UFC 322

UFC 322 is set to ignite Madison Square Garden in New York City this Saturday, November 10, 2025, with a highly anticipated main event featuring reigning lightweight champion Islam Makhachev challenging Jack Della Maddalena for the welterweight title. The bout represents a pivotal moment in the careers of both men, with Makhachev aiming for an unprecedented second championship and Della Maddalena seeking to solidify his nascent reign against one of the sport’s most dominant figures. This contest mirrors a significant chapter in Makhachev’s career, recalling his first lightweight title defense where he faced a formidable challenger from a different weight class. Now, the roles are reversed, with Makhachev moving up to test himself against a new champion from Australia, in a bid to further assert his claim as the pound-for-pound king. The stakes are immense: can Makhachev etch his name into the annals of mixed martial arts as an all-time great, or will "JDM" launch his own championship legacy by defeating a fighter widely considered the sport’s current best?

Paths to Victory for Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322

Just a few months ago, in January 2025, Jack Della Maddalena found himself on the fringes of the welterweight title conversation. However, the landscape of the division shifted dramatically. An injury to then-champion Belal Muhammad, who was slated to defend against Shavkat Rakhmonov, opened the door for Della Maddalena. Seizing the opportunity at UFC 315 in Montreal, Della Maddalena delivered what many analysts described as the most complete performance of his career. He showcased remarkable improvements in his takedown defense and scrambling ability, effectively neutralizing Muhammad’s grappling threats, while simultaneously outstriking the veteran champion on the feet to claim the welterweight strap. This comprehensive performance, particularly his ability to keep the fight standing and dictate the striking exchanges, will be paramount to his strategy this Saturday.

The linchpin of Della Maddalena’s offensive arsenal is his elite-level boxing. While he possesses a serviceable kicking game and has demonstrated a knack for well-timed intercepting knees, his pure boxing stands out as among the best in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s welterweight division. Della Maddalena exhibits exceptional footwork, enabling him to control distance and angles effectively. He possesses a sharp, accurate jab that he uses to set up combinations and disrupt opponents’ rhythm. Furthermore, his commitment to attacking the body is a significant, yet often underutilized, weapon in MMA. These body shots are particularly well-suited for countering Makhachev’s style. They serve multiple strategic purposes: maintaining a tight defensive posture for takedown defense, keeping the champion in a prime position to sprawl, and critically, designed to deplete Makhachev’s gas tank, which, while generally robust, has shown signs of fading in later rounds during high-intensity contests. Expect Della Maddalena to launch a relentless barrage of body attacks throughout the fight, aiming to compromise Makhachev’s endurance and create openings for head strikes.

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However, the ultimate determining factor for Della Maddalena’s success will be his capacity to consistently keep the fight in open space. While his wrestling defense has demonstrably improved, Islam Makhachev represents a significant step up in grappling prowess compared to Belal Muhammad. Makhachev is particularly dangerous when he can press opponents against the cage, where his vast array of takedown entries and finishes becomes exponentially more effective. If Makhachev can regularly pin Della Maddalena to the fence, the welterweight champion faces a challenging night. To avoid this, Della Maddalena must leverage his superior footwork to maintain central cage control, constantly pushing Makhachev backward and denying him opportunities to initiate clinches or shoot for takedowns from advantageous positions. This approach aims to keep Makhachev’s back to open space, rendering takedowns more difficult and allowing Della Maddalena to retain offensive initiative. In essence, Della Maddalena needs to execute a strategy reminiscent of Dustin Poirier’s efforts against Makhachev, but with an even higher degree of precision and effectiveness, consistently thwarting entries and punishing attempts to close the distance.

Jack Della Maddalena’s recent record reflects his ascent, currently standing at 17 wins and 2 losses (prior to this fight). His notable victories include the title-winning performance over Belal Muhammad (UFC 315, May 2025), a dominant decision over Gilbert Burns (UFC 312, February 2025), and a first-round knockout of Kevin Holland (UFC 310, December 2024).

Paths to Victory for Islam Makhachev at UFC 322

Islam Makhachev, already holding a strong claim to being the greatest lightweight of all time with a dominant 14-fight winning streak, now endeavors to solidify his position among the top 10 greatest fighters in mixed martial arts history by joining the elite ranks of "champ-champs." This pursuit, however, presents a formidable challenge against a dangerous and motivated welterweight champion.

Despite his Dagestani heritage, which often leads to his perception primarily as a grappler, the true strength of Makhachev’s game lies in his exceptional well-roundedness. He is indeed a dynamic wrestler and an elite submission artist, but these foundational aspects of his game are seamlessly integrated and amplified by his precise timing on the feet, excellent striking defense, and formidable clinch offense. This creates a cohesive and brutally efficient fighting system where every component synergizes with the others. Makhachev’s striking, while not overtly flashy, is highly effective for setting up takedowns and controlling distance, making his overall game incredibly difficult to counter.

Nevertheless, Makhachev’s primary strategic focus for Saturday will unequivocally revolve around capitalizing on his grappling opportunities. While he possesses the striking acumen to compete with Della Maddalena on the feet, engaging in prolonged striking exchanges unnecessarily exposes him to the welterweight champion’s dangerous boxing. Furthermore, Della Maddalena has previously exhibited specific vulnerabilities in the grappling phase, particularly in instances where he attempts to scramble back to his feet, often exposing his neck in the process. This tendency presents clear submission opportunities for Makhachev, a master of opportunistic chokes.

For Makhachev, the game plan is straightforward: win the pressure battle and control the cage. While he may not possess the most fluid or aggressive pressuring footwork in the sport, he is highly effective at systematically cutting off the cage and forcing his opponents into uncomfortable positions. Although Belal Muhammad ultimately lost to Della Maddalena, he was successful in frequently getting to his desired positions against the cage. Makhachev, possessing a more diverse and potent set of tools, can force clinches with greater regularity and effectiveness. Once in the clinch, his varied attacks – from trips and throws to devastating dirty boxing and submission entries – can quickly overwhelm Della Maddalena. From these dominant positions, Makhachev’s objective will be to secure back control or transition into a front headlock series, leveraging Della Maddalena’s previously observed defensive gaps.

Islam Makhachev’s professional record stands at 26 wins and 1 loss. His impressive lightweight title reign includes defenses against Alexander Volkanovski (UFC 284, February 2023, and UFC 294, October 2023), and most recently, a dominant submission victory over Dustin Poirier (UFC 302, June 2024). His ascent to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings underscores his consistent excellence.

Key Questions Defining UFC 322’s Main Event

Unlike some mixed martial arts contests with intricate dynamics, the headline bout between Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev appears deceptively simple in its fundamental clash of styles: Della Maddalena’s objective is to maintain striking range and keep the fight standing, while Makhachev’s imperative is to secure takedowns and control the grappling exchanges. However, beneath this apparent simplicity lie several critical questions that will ultimately determine the fight’s trajectory and outcome.

1. Makhachev’s Welterweight Transition: How will Islam Makhachev’s physique and performance translate to the welterweight division? The lightweight champion has historically undergone significant weight cuts to make 155 pounds. Moving up to 170 pounds, will his power, speed, and endurance be optimized, or will he find himself competing against naturally larger, stronger opponents who are more accustomed to the division’s demands? His ability to maintain his formidable grappling strength and explosive bursts over five rounds at a heavier weight class is a major unknown.

2. Della Maddalena’s Takedown Defense Evolution: While Della Maddalena showcased improved takedown defense against Belal Muhammad, can it withstand the relentless, high-level wrestling of Islam Makhachev? Makhachev’s grappling is widely regarded as superior to Muhammad’s, featuring more diverse entries, chain wrestling, and suffocating control. The question is not just whether JDM can defend initial takedown attempts, but whether he can consistently prevent them over the course of 25 minutes against an opponent who will relentlessly pursue them.

3. The Striking Battle at Range: Can Jack Della Maddalena effectively utilize his superior boxing to inflict significant damage on Makhachev before the Dagestani fighter can close the distance? Della Maddalena’s footwork and defensive striking will be crucial in maintaining space. If he can consistently land clean shots and avoid being cornered, he has the power and precision to trouble Makhachev. Conversely, can Makhachev navigate Della Maddalena’s striking without absorbing excessive punishment, using feints and calculated entries to nullify the welterweight champion’s offensive flow?

4. Endurance and the Championship Rounds: The article notes Della Maddalena’s body shots aim to drain Makhachev’s gas tank. How will Makhachev’s cardio hold up in a potential five-round welterweight contest, especially if he is forced to work hard for takedowns or endure sustained striking pressure? Conversely, can Della Maddalena maintain his high-output striking and defensive intensity into the later rounds, particularly if he has to expend significant energy scrambling or defending takedowns?

5. Mental Fortitude Under Pressure: For Della Maddalena, this is his first title defense against a pound-for-pound elite. For Makhachev, it is a chance at history. The immense pressure of the moment could play a role. Who will handle the championship fight environment at Madison Square Garden with greater composure and tactical adherence?

These intricate layers of strategy, physical adaptation, and mental resilience will undoubtedly shape the narrative of UFC 322’s main event.

Prediction

The analysis of this contest has presented a complex strategic puzzle, with factors that could swing the momentum to either combatant. However, after careful consideration of their respective skill sets, recent performances, and the high stakes involved, the assessment leans towards Islam Makhachev securing a victory.

Makhachev’s overall technical proficiency and strategic intelligence are considered to be at a higher echelon than Belal Muhammad’s, against whom Della Maddalena had a competitive, albeit ultimately successful, outing. Makhachev consistently demonstrates an intelligent fight IQ, adapting his game plan mid-fight and exploiting opponents’ weaknesses with ruthless efficiency. His comprehensive arsenal, encompassing elite wrestling, submission grappling, and effective striking, provides him with more avenues to victory than Muhammad possessed. As the sport’s top pound-for-pound fighter, Makhachev’s consistent dominance is rooted in his ability to control all facets of a fight. Despite Jack Della Maddalena’s sensational performance in capturing the welterweight title, previous instances in his career have revealed exploitable tendencies, particularly his defensive reactions during grappling exchanges, which Makhachev is exceptionally skilled at capitalizing upon.

Islam Makhachev def. Jack Della Maddalena via submission (D’Arce choke) – 3:45, Round 2.

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