Undisputed UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena will make his first title defense against Islam Makhachev, in the headliner of UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday. In his 170-pound debut, the favorite Makhachev (27-1) eyes a world championship in a second weight class.
However, former undisputed UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, believes that the underdog Della Maddalena (18-2) may hand Makhachev a rude awakening.
“He’s (Della Maddalena) gonna have to overwhelm him with punishment on the feet,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel, FreeStylebender. “Islam’s not gonna wanna stand with Jack. He’s gonna stand with him. But he’s gonna realize, ‘I need to shoot (for a takedown).’”
JDM’s Wrestling Defense Could Be UFC 322 X-Factor?
In May, “JDM” defeated Belal Muhammad for the UFC welterweight title by unanimous decision at UFC 315. Della Maddalena got the better of the defending champion, as he stood inside the pocket throughout several back-and-forth exchanges. He landed a whopping 178 out of 342 total strikes (52%), compared to Muhammad’s 132 out of 318 total (41%).
The native of Perth, Australia, has demonstrated a proven chin, with the ability to stand and trade punches. Which could play a factor when he takes on Makhachev.
“I’m not trying to count Islam out,” said Adesanya. “But I just know Jack. I know when Jack keeps getting up, it’s gonna be a problem. Islam’s gonna be forced to strike. And when he’s forced to strike with Jack, he’s gonna get hurt.”
Although Della Maddalena has shown some vulnerabilities, particularly with wrestling. He was taken down three times against Muhammad, which totaled for 3:21 of control time. It may prove to be crucial against Makhachev, who has showcased his ability to take the fight to the ground.
Makhachev is coming off a first-round submission win against Renato Moicano at UFC 311 in January. The former undisputed UFC lightweight champion set the record for most lightweight title defenses in UFC history (4). With his sights set at 170 pounds, Makhachev will aim to become the 11th two-division champion in UFC history.
“I think Islam will be able to get him down,” said Adesanya. “But, for how long? I really think that Jack Della Maddalena has the skills to stifle Islam’s game. And be able to just put it on the feet, and knock him out. Might be second round, might be third. But we’ll see. Tune in, and find out.”
