Ali Akbar Rosady
As UFC 322 approaches, the spotlight at Madison Square Garden in New York City is intensely focused on the welterweight championship clash between titleholder Jack Della Maddalena and the formidable lightweight king, Islam Makhachev. Despite holding the welterweight gold, Della Maddalena finds himself in the unfamiliar position of the betting underdog, a rare occurrence for a defending champion. Makhachev, widely regarded as the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, enters Saturday’s pay-per-view main event as the significant favorite, with oddsmakers listing him at nearly a three-to-one advantage. This narrative positions Makhachev’s pursuit of a second divisional crown and a solidified place in the sport’s "Greatest Of All Time" discussion as the dominant storyline, potentially overshadowing the reigning welterweight champion.
The perception surrounding Della Maddalena stems largely from his relatively untested status as a welterweight champion. While his recent victory over Belal Muhammad was decisive, the grinding style and polarizing persona of Muhammad have, for some, led to an underestimation of Della Maddalena’s capabilities. In stark contrast, Makhachev’s legacy is already firmly established. He holds the record for most lightweight title defenses, surpassing esteemed figures such as Khabib Nurmagomedov, B.J. Penn, Frankie Edgar, and Benson Henderson, before making the strategic move up in weight.
Della Maddalena, however, views his underdog status as a powerful motivator. "I’ve got everything to prove. But I like it that way," he 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." This sentiment underscores a champion eager to demonstrate his worth against a challenger of Makhachev’s caliber.
Makhachev’s fighting style, characterized by his suffocating grappling, has historically presented a nightmare matchup for strikers, a trait common among fighters from the Dagestani region. While Della Maddalena possesses a size advantage as a natural welterweight, he concedes that it may not be as significant as some anticipate. The primary challenge against Makhachev lies not in sheer power, but in resisting his relentless control and preventing him from imposing his grappling dominance. A comparison of their most recent title defenses provides insight: Makhachev impressively finished elite striker Dustin Poirier, while Della Maddalena meticulously outclassed the durable wrestler Belal Muhammad.
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Dustin Poirier, having recently faced Makhachev, offered his perspective on the welterweight champion’s potential path to victory. "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 remain upright and leverage his striking arsenal.
A key factor in Della Maddalena’s evolving grappling defense is the influence of Craig Jones, a two-time ADCC silver medalist and one of the most innovative minds in modern Jiu-Jitsu. Jones has been instrumental in refining Della Maddalena’s grappling, particularly his ability to navigate transitional grappling exchanges and efficiently return to his feet. This collaboration has garnered attention and confidence from several prominent figures in the sport. American Top Team coach Din Thomas and welterweight contender Sean Brady have both publicly backed Della Maddalena to upset Makhachev.
"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 elaborated on Della Maddalena’s performance against Muhammad at UFC 315, where he stuffed six of nine takedown attempts and, crucially, could not be kept grounded. Thomas attributes this enhanced ability to escape and reset to Jones’ imprint, suggesting Della Maddalena’s comfort in grappling transitions has significantly improved.
Thomas predicts a challenging start for Della Maddalena but believes his resilience and striking precision will ultimately prevail. "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 said. "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 assessment points to Della Maddalena’s potential for a late-fight resurgence fueled by his striking.
Della Maddalena’s longtime coach, Ben Vickers, shares this conviction in his fighter’s offensive capabilities. Vickers intends for Della Maddalena to apply relentless pressure, believing it will expose weaknesses in Makhachev that few opponents have been able to exploit. "I think Jack will knock him out…" Vickers declared to 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 supported by the fact that Poirier, even in the twilight of his career, managed to trouble Makhachev on the feet. Della Maddalena, a sharper and fresher striker, could potentially replicate or even amplify that success. In his fight against Muhammad, Della Maddalena landed 200 strikes over 25 minutes, demonstrating his capacity for sustained offensive output and damage.
The betting odds, which favor Makhachev heavily, contrast sharply with how Della Maddalena might be perceived against other champions. For instance, a hypothetical fight between Makhachev and lightweight champion Ilia Topuria is currently considered a pick’em, highlighting the unique challenge Della Maddalena presents due to his size and style. However, those closest to Makhachev appear to share a significant level of concern regarding Della Maddalena.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev’s mentor and former lightweight champion, expressed a notable level of apprehension. "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 candid assessment from one of the sport’s most respected figures underscores the legitimate threat Della Maddalena poses.
Makhachev’s longtime coach, Javier Mendez, has meticulously prepared for this challenge, admitting to an unusual level of study. "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 statement from one of MMA’s most experienced strategists speaks volumes about the perceived difficulty of the matchup.
Makhachev himself acknowledges the formidable task ahead. He has structured his training camp specifically around Della Maddalena’s strengths, splitting time between Russia, Dubai, and New Jersey to secure the appropriate 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."
As UFC 322 draws near, the stage is set for a high-stakes encounter where the welterweight champion, Jack Della Maddalena, aims to defy the odds and solidify his reign against the pound-for-pound king, Islam Makhachev. The fight promises a compelling clash of styles, with Della Maddalena’s refined striking and evolving grappling defense squaring off against Makhachev’s dominant wrestling and submission prowess. The outcome will not only determine the welterweight titleholder but could also significantly reshape the pound-for-pound rankings and the legacy narratives of both elite competitors.
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