Ali Akbar Rosady
New York City is poised to host UFC 322, an event headlined by a highly anticipated super-fight that sees reigning welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena defending his title against the dominant lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev. While Makhachev enters Saturday’s pay-per-view main event as the favored contender, Della Maddalena’s camp and several prominent figures within the mixed martial arts community believe the Australian possesses a unique skill set capable of disrupting Makhachev’s bid for a second divisional crown and a place in the sport’s all-time greatest conversation.
Makhachev’s pursuit of history dominates the pre-fight narrative. The Dagestani phenom, widely regarded as the pound-for-pound king, recently surpassed his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov and other legends like B.J. Penn, Frankie Edgar, and Benson Henderson for the most lightweight title defenses before vacating his belt to challenge for welterweight gold. His ambition to claim a second UFC title places him in rare company, fueling the perception that his move up in weight is a mere formality. However, this focus on Makhachev’s legacy has inadvertently cast a shadow over Della Maddalena, the fighter already holding the welterweight championship.
Della Maddalena, acknowledging his position, expressed his motivation to MMA Fighting: "I’ve got everything to prove. But I like it that way. 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."
The perceived lack of respect for Della Maddalena stems partly from his relatively nascent reign as welterweight champion. His sole title defense, a convincing victory over Belal Muhammad, while impressive, often gets overlooked due to Muhammad’s grinding style and polarizing persona. In stark contrast, Makhachev’s resume is replete with dominant performances against elite competition, solidifying his revered status within the sport.
Related News :
- Sean O’Malley Commends Petr Yan’s Resurgent UFC 323 Performance, Proposes High-Profile Rematch.
- UFC 322: Welterweight Gold on the Line as Champion Della Maddalena Faces Lightweight King Makhachev in Pivotal New York Showdown.
- Featherweight Stalwarts Arnold Allen and Jean Silva Poised for Critical Showdown at UFC 324 in Las Vegas
- The Welterweight Conundrum: Jack Della Maddalena Faces Legacy-Defining Test Against Islam Makhachev at UFC 322
- Veteran Guard Victor Oladipo Commences Comeback Effort with Milwaukee Bucks’ G League Affiliate, Wisconsin Herd
Makhachev’s fighting style, characterized by smothering grappling and relentless pressure, has historically proven a nightmare for strikers. Fighters hailing from the Dagestani region, known for their Sambo and wrestling backgrounds, have a track record of neutralizing stand-up specialists. The conventional wisdom suggests that Della Maddalena’s size advantage might not be a decisive factor, particularly since he himself admitted that the 15-pound jump for Makhachev would not grant him a significant physical edge. The core challenge for Della Maddalena, therefore, lies not in sheer power, but in controlling the grappling exchanges and maintaining striking distance.
Insights from their most recent title defenses offer a glimpse into the potential dynamics of this clash. Makhachev secured a decisive finish over the elite striker Dustin Poirier, showcasing his ability to take down and submit high-level opponents. Della Maddalena, conversely, outclassed the tenacious wrestler Belal Muhammad, demonstrating his evolving grappling defense and striking accuracy. Poirier, having firsthand experience with Makhachev, sees a potential pathway to victory 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."
A crucial element in Della Maddalena’s preparation, and potentially his secret weapon, is the involvement of Craig Jones. The two-time ADCC silver medalist, renowned as one of modern Jiu-Jitsu’s most innovative minds, has been actively refining Della Maddalena’s grappling. Jones’s influence is seen as a potential game-changer in how Della Maddalena navigates Makhachev’s formidable pressure. This strategic partnership has garnered attention from seasoned analysts, with American Top Team coach Din Thomas and welterweight contender Sean Brady publicly backing the champion for an upset.
"He’s a breath of fresh air, and I’m with Brady on this one. I’m picking him to beat Islam," Thomas stated to 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."
During his fight against Muhammad, Della Maddalena successfully stuffed six of nine takedown attempts. However, as Thomas highlights, the critical factor was not merely stuffing the takedowns but Muhammad’s inability to keep him grounded. This evolving comfort in transitional grappling and the ability to scramble back to his feet is believed to be Jones’s imprint on Della Maddalena’s game.
Thomas further elaborated on Della Maddalena’s prospects: "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. 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."
In his championship bout against Muhammad at UFC 315, Della Maddalena landed an impressive 200 strikes over 25 minutes, consistently bloodying his opponent. His longtime coach, Ben Vickers, believes that unleashing a similar level of sustained offensive pressure will be key against Makhachev. Vickers postulates that Makhachev has rarely faced an opponent who can consistently push the pace and inflict damage, potentially exposing a vulnerability.
"I think Jack will knock him out…" Vickers told 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 historical context. Poirier, despite being in the twilight of his career, managed to trouble Makhachev on the feet in moments. Della Maddalena, a younger, sharper, and more powerful striker, could potentially amplify this success.
Despite the confidence emanating from Della Maddalena’s camp, oddsmakers have listed Makhachev as nearly a three-to-one favorite, reflecting a widespread belief that this fight is Makhachev’s coronation in a second division. In contrast, a hypothetical fight for Della Maddalena against lightweight champion Ilia Topuria is currently considered a pick’em. However, those closest to Makhachev do not share this certainty regarding an easy victory.
Perhaps most notably, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev’s former mentor and a figure intimately familiar with his abilities, expressed significant concern. "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 sentiment is echoed by Makhachev’s longtime coach, Javier Mendez, who admitted to an unprecedented level of preparation 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."
Makhachev himself has acknowledged the formidable challenge ahead. His training camp has been meticulously structured to counter Della Maddalena’s strengths, with time split across Russia, Dubai, and New Jersey to secure the optimal sparring partners and body types.
"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 clash of styles and narratives, with Jack Della Maddalena aiming to solidify his welterweight reign against the relentless pursuit of history by Islam Makhachev. The outcome will hinge on Della Maddalena’s ability to defend the takedown, leverage his striking, and utilize his evolving grappling skills, while Makhachev will seek to impose his dominant wrestling and control.
💬 Tinggalkan Komentar dengan Facebook
Author Profile
Latest entries
MMAJanuary 31, 2026Justin Gaethje’s Second Interim Lightweight A Mixed Blessing on the Path to Undisputed Glory.
MMAJanuary 31, 2026UFC 322: Welterweight Champion Jack Della Maddalena Prepares for Historic Clash Against Lightweight King Islam Makhachev
MMAJanuary 31, 2026Sydney Prepares for UFC 325 Main Event: Volkanovski Seeks Historic Featherweight Title Defense Against Lopes Rematch.
MMAJanuary 31, 2026UFC 325: Volkanovski and Lopes Set for Featherweight Title Rematch in Anticipated Sydney Showdown
arthur roy sitompul
Anshari Taslim
