UFC 322: Jack Della Maddalena Prepares to Defend Welterweight Gold Against Islam Makhachev's Bid for Dual-Weight Glory

New York City prepares for a clash of champions at UFC 322, where reigning welterweight king Jack Della Maddalena will face the formidable lightweight champion and pound-for-pound elite, Islam Makhachev. While Makhachev, the betting favorite, seeks to etch his name further into history by capturing a second divisional title, Della Maddalena finds himself in the unfamiliar position of the perceived underdog, despite holding the welterweight belt. The narrative surrounding UFC’s return to the iconic Madison Square Garden is largely dominated by Makhachev’s legacy hunt, his ambition to join the exclusive club of two-division champions, and his potential entry into the sport’s greatest of all time (GOAT) conversation. This focus, however, casts a considerable shadow over the accomplishments and capabilities of the man who already wears gold.

Della Maddalena, known for his precision striking and evolving ground game, has openly embraced the underdog status. "I’ve got everything to prove. But I like it that way," Della Maddalena stated in an interview with MMA Fighting. "It gives me more motivation. A lot of drive to prove I’m the champion and then solidify my spot as the top guy. I’m definitely the underdog. I feel like a little bit I’m being written off. Come fight night, and after the fight, I think there’s going to be a lot of different opinions on it." His candid assessment underscores a quiet determination to defy expectations and assert his dominance in the welterweight division.

The perceived lack of respect for Della Maddalena stems from several factors. Primarily, his reign as welterweight champion is still in its nascent stages, with his decisive victory over Belal Muhammad serving as his most significant title defense to date. While the win was convincing, Muhammad’s grinding, wrestling-heavy style and often polarizing personality have led some to understate the significance of Della Maddalena’s performance. In stark contrast, Islam Makhachev arrives with a glistening resume, having set a new record for lightweight title defenses. His impressive streak saw him surpass revered figures such as his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov, B.J. Penn, Frankie Edgar, and Benson Henderson, solidifying his status as an active pound-for-pound king before vacating his lightweight crown to pursue this welterweight challenge.

Makhachev’s fighting style, characterized by relentless and smothering grappling, has historically presented a nightmare matchup for pure strikers, a trait common among elite fighters emerging from the Dagestani region. The challenge for Della Maddalena extends beyond merely absorbing power; it lies in countering Makhachev’s ability to control space and dictate the terms of engagement. Despite Makhachev’s 15-pound jump in weight, Della Maddalena has conceded that he anticipates no significant size advantage in the octagon. The strategic imperative for Della Maddalena will be to avoid being pinned down and to leverage his striking effectively.

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Insights from recent title defenses offer a glimpse into the strategic dynamics of the upcoming bout. Makhachev’s last outing saw him expertly dismantle elite striker Dustin Poirier, securing a submission victory. Della Maddalena, meanwhile, showcased his evolving skillset by largely outclassing the formidable wrestler Belal Muhammad. Poirier, having firsthand experience with Makhachev’s pressure, sees a clear path for the welterweight champion. "It’s all going to come down to the takedown defense of JDM," Poirier told MMA Fighting. "If he can get back up to his feet, if he can use the fence, or stay off the fence, use his boxing, I think he definitely could give Islam a lot of troubles in the center of the octagon. He’s a great striker. He’s big and powerful." This analysis highlights the critical importance of Della Maddalena’s ability to maintain striking range and neutralize Makhachev’s grappling entries.

A significant, yet perhaps underappreciated, factor in Della Maddalena’s preparation is the involvement of Craig Jones. Jones, a two-time ADCC silver medalist and one of the most innovative minds in modern Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, has been actively shaping Della Maddalena’s grappling evolution. His influence could prove pivotal in redefining how Della Maddalena approaches and counters Makhachev’s suffocating pressure. The impact of Jones’s coaching has not gone unnoticed by seasoned MMA observers. American Top Team coach Din Thomas and welterweight contender Sean Brady have both expressed confidence in Della Maddalena, largely attributing his potential upset victory to Jones’s unique approach.

"He’s a breath of fresh air, and I’m with Brady on this one. I’m picking him to beat Islam," Thomas told MMA Junkie. "I think that Craig Jones is the answer in this… I think the answer lies within Craig Jones’ approach of blending in a jiu-jitsu style that these guys aren’t familiar with. We’ve seen it when Alexander Volkanovski fought Islam, and we’ve seen it when Jack fought Belal." Thomas’s reference to Alexander Volkanovski’s surprisingly competitive ground exchanges with Makhachev suggests that an unconventional grappling strategy could indeed disrupt the Dagestani champion’s rhythm.

Della Maddalena’s performance against Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 provides tangible evidence of this grappling evolution. While he successfully stuffed six of Muhammad’s nine takedown attempts, the true key to victory was Muhammad’s inability to keep Della Maddalena grounded once a takedown was secured. Thomas believes this newfound comfort in transitional grappling, the ability to scramble and recover quickly, is a direct imprint of Jones’s coaching. "I think Jack’s going to be very difficult to take down and hold down. He might be taken down, but I think he’s going to be very difficult to hold down if he gets taken down," Thomas elaborated. "I think on the feet, he’s so precise. I think he loses the first two rounds possibly, but I think he comes back and does damage later in the fight." This prediction outlines a potential strategy for Della Maddalena: weathering the early storm on the ground and then capitalizing with his striking as the fight progresses.

Della Maddalena’s striking arsenal is indeed formidable. Against Muhammad, he landed an impressive 200 strikes over 25 minutes, bloodied his opponent, and demonstrated sustained offensive pressure. His longtime coach, Ben Vickers, intends to summon that same level of brutality against Makhachev, believing that consistent pressure will expose a vulnerability rarely tested in Makhachev’s career. "I think Jack will knock him out," Vickers declared on Submission Radio. "He’s not used to taking damage. He’s not used to being in tough fights with someone pushing the pace, and he’s been knocked out before." This bold prediction is not entirely without precedent; Dustin Poirier, even in the latter stages of his career, managed to trouble Makhachev on the feet. Della Maddalena, a sharper and fresher striker in his prime, could conceivably find similar or greater success in standing exchanges.

Despite the confidence emanating from Della Maddalena’s camp, oddsmakers currently list Islam Makhachev as nearly a three-to-one favorite, reflecting a widespread belief among fans and bettors that this bout is Makhachev’s coronation in a second division. This contrasts sharply with hypothetical matchups, such as one against lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, which would likely be considered a pick’em. However, those closest to the challenger, and even Makhachev’s inner circle, do not share the certainty of the public.

In a surprising revelation, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev’s mentor and close friend, expressed a unique concern for Della Maddalena as an opponent. "I think Maddalena is the toughest opponent in Islam’s career," Nurmagomedov told Adam Zubayraev in a Russian-translated interview. "That’s my opinion, not Charles [Oliveira], no one else. None of those other fighters. Not even Ilia, if that fight were to happen. Maddalena is twice the size of Ilia. Taller, bigger, stronger legs, bigger frame. His boxing is just as good. And, in grappling, he scrambles really well if you’ve watched him. For me, if I were preparing Islam for either Ilia or Maddalena, I’d be more concerned about Maddalena." This assessment from such an authoritative figure within Makhachev’s camp underscores the serious challenge Della Maddalena presents.

Makhachev’s longtime coach, Javier Mendez, has prepared accordingly, admitting to an unprecedented level of tape study for Della Maddalena. "Jack is such a tough customer that if we overlook him, which we haven’t. I’ve actually viewed Jack’s fight with Belal five times," Mendez told MMA Junkie. "I’ve never really done that. That’s how much I respect Jack." This rare statement from one of MMA’s most experienced minds speaks volumes about the perceived threat.

Islam Makhachev himself shares his team’s respect for the challenge ahead. His training camp has been meticulously structured around Della Maddalena’s strengths, with time split across Russia, Dubai, and New Jersey to secure the optimal sparring partners and body types to simulate his opponent. "It’s going to be a hard fight, honestly," Makhachev told MMA Junkie. "I saw his fight against Belal. He’s good, man. When he began fighting in the UFC, he had problems with wrestling, but now he’s improved because I’ve seen him training a lot with wrestlers and grapplers, and that’s why he’s champion right now. He’s good everywhere. But we will see who’s the best fighter in the world very soon."

UFC 322 presents a high-stakes encounter where one champion seeks to expand his legacy into a second division, while the other aims to solidify his reign and defy expectations. The clash of Makhachev’s dominant grappling and Della Maddalena’s evolving skillset and striking prowess promises a compelling main event that could redefine both fighters’ trajectories.