UFC 322: All the big questions answered for Aussie’s ‘toughest first-up title defence in history’
Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena will look to make history this Sunday when he defends his UFC welterweight crown for the first time against Islam Makhachev inside New York’s famed Madison Square Garden.
The UFC 322 headliner not only tops a huge Big Apple card, but has been branded a ‘superfight’ by no less than UFC boss Dana White.
UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev | SUN 16 NOV 2PM AEDT | Australia’s own Jack Della Maddalena puts his welterweight title on the line against Pound for Pound great and former lightweight champ Islam Makhachev in a blockbuster night of fights, live from New York City. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
Here is your Ultimate Guide to everything taking place Sunday…
Explain this fight in a sentence …
Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena is looking to defend his UFC welterweight title for the first time against Islam Makhachev — a Dagestani wrestling phenom, and longtime UFC lightweight king, who has vacated that strap to chase further greatness in a second weight class.
JDM reflects on Title triumph over Belal | 05:35
Why is Jack Della Maddalena here?
Because this unassuming Aussie just keeps on winning. And so often, against the odds. Only six months after upsetting Belal Muhammad for gold at UFC 315, JDM is now looking to double down in what shapes as one of the toughest first up defence in UFC history. Which isn’t bad going for a fella whose fight story was initially born some dozen years ago, and during a Saturday MMA open session his now coach, Ben Vickers, was filthy about attending. And why? “Because they were free,” the trainer laughs of what was predominantly a membership building exercise for his gym, Scrappy MMA. “It meant those Saturday sessions, you got a lot of time wasters coming through. And then on this particular day, I rock up and the only two people there are a pair of brothers …”. Which, of course, only made Vickers’ mood worse. At least until Jack and Josh Della Maddalena hit the mats. “Because the way they trained and picked things up, mate, I could’ve gone on for hours,” grins the man who has been the champ’s head coach ever since. “Initially, Jack’s learning curve was effectively vertical. Within weeks I knew he was special.”
Why is Islam Makhachev here?
Dagestanis don’t so much join MMA as get born into it. And at altitude. The son of a Burshi tomato farmer, Makhachev spent his early life climbing hills, lifting rocks and fighting in the streets. Oh yeah, he also lived next door to a hard arse soldier and fight trainer by the name of Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. The same Nurmagomedov, of course, who raised up a legendary fighting son, Khabib, while also building Makhachev into the type of UFC lightweight king who is currently on a tear of 15 straight wins. After earning UFC gold against no less than Charles Oliveira, and then defending four times – including twice against Australia’s own Alexander Volkanovski – Makhachev is now moving up to chase greatness in a second weight class.
How significant will size be in this one?
Both teams are stressing it will be huge – albeit for wildly different reasons. When it comes to Maddalena’s mob, for example, they’re insisting size is key given JDM is so much bigger than anyone Makhachev has faced before. Take Volk, for example, who effectively campaigns 12kg lighter as UFC featherweight champ. Importantly, Maddalena is also slightly taller than his rival, and also boasts a significant 6cm reach advantage. Coupled with his outstanding boxing, and slick kicking game, that could prove key. The opposite argument however, is that Makhachev is now set to be much stronger moving up to a new weight class. The argument goes that without having to boil down to lightweight, this wrasslin’ marauder will be stronger physically, fresher mentally, boast more energy, have an improved gas tank and also have used time normally spent in the sauna to upskill. As part of his build to Sunday’s showdown, Islam has declared he was fighting at only 60% of his capabilities as UFC lightweight champion. A scary proposition if true.
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From the Ground Up: JDM’s MMA beginnings | 04:39
Just how good is Jack Della’s boxing?
Good enough for Danny Green to suggest this fellow Perth boy could make the crossover tomorrow and be successful. Same deal Tim Tszyu, who has declared JDM’s pure boxing better than every other UFC fighter, including Ilia Topuria. Apart from being a high level striker with genuine power, Della also boasts the type of chin one might describe as granite. Even the champ’s older brother and training partner Josh insists the new champ will one day be in contention for lucrative crossover bouts. And potentially, with another prominent redhead. “Can you imagine Jack and Canelo Alvarez on a poster, how sick that would be?” Josh told us this week. “And I really do think it’s possible now with how things are going.”
Why is Makhachev seemingly so unstoppable?
Largely, because of a ground game that may just be the best anywhere in the UFC. Truly, the bloke should come with his own ‘Warning: Choke Hazard’ label. Once Makhachev gets a fight to the ground, he boasts incredible control, which soon enough leads to incredible submissions. Only last week, Jorge Masvidal labelled his ground game, which is based on a foundation of Sambo, as the greatest of any UFC fighter – and it’s hard to argue otherwise. Makhachev also has stronger stand up than many initially credited him for, and is currently on a staggering UFC tear stretching 15 straight wins
UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev | SUN 16 NOV 2PM AEDT | Australia’s own Jack Della Maddalena puts his welterweight title on the line against Pound for Pound great and former lightweight champ Islam Makhachev in a blockbuster night of fights, live from New York City. | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.
What does each fighter’s corner look like?
Islam Makhachev comes into this one cornered by the almost mythical UFC legend that is Khabib Nurmagomedov, whose own famed career stretched 29 fights undefeated. As childhood neighbours in Dagestan, the pair were initially mentored by Khabib’s father, while Islam also now spends large chunks of his time training out of California’s American Kickboxing Academy under Javier Mendez. But Della? Well, his entire career has been overseen by a tattooed ball of English energy otherwise known as Ben Vickers. A coach, you should know, who also went viral during the champ’s now infamous world title win upset against Belal Muhammad when, heading into the last round, he uttered the now immortal line: “Keep pinging the c***”. Heading Down Under 13 years ago and opening Scrappy MMA, Vickers is now proving integral in the rise and rise of Australia’s newest UFC champion. The rest of the corner is brother Josh Della, fellow Scrappy coach Ryan Gray and Aussie grappling star Craig Jones.
What impact will Australia’s greatest fighting comedian, Craig Jones have?
Apart from providing some of YouTube’s most hilarious fight content, Jones is also famed for one of the most dangerous, and effective, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu games on the planet. Outstanding as a grappler, this 34-year-old Adelaide product has spent the best part of two months in camp with Della, and after also helping him take the title from Belal Muhammad. Aiding the cause, Jones has also twice been part of camps to bring down Makhachev with Alexander Volkanovski. And while Volk lost both, his showing in their first fight has provided something of a blueprint given he not only survived on the ground, but was at times laughing. Says Volk’s head coach Joe Lopez: “Against anyone who is a threat on the ground, Craig Jones is invaluable. Just the way he breaks things down. He takes you through every possible scenario. There are so many moves, then counter moves and you have to understand all of them. You need to make sure you don’t only avoid Islam’s first trap, but his second one. And Craig covers all that. He’s incredibly clever at breaking things down, explaining them and how it all works.”
Islam Makhachev.Source: AFP
So who wins the ground battle then?
Undeniably, the advantage goes to Makhachev who has famously declared “brother, Australia doesn’t have wrestling”. When it comes to submissions, and finishes, the challenger is at a whole other level to anyone JDM has face before. But the fact Della has Jones in his corner, and has also had both Volk and Lopez fly into Perth for stints? It’s huge. Elsewhere, UFC light heavyweight contender Carlos Ulberg says Della also boasts an “unpredictable” ground game which will go a long way to helping him secure the upset. “Jack’s very unorthodox,” Ulberg says, “with moves that people haven’t seen before. And I do think his sharp boxing style, coupled with that unpredictable ground game can get him across the line.”
Most unique thing about Della’s gym?
Well, how about the fact its name derives from the Scooby Do cartoon? Gym owner Ben Vickers takes up the story. “A group of us are in Spain, stag do, when a big fight kicks off,” he laughs. “Nothing to do with me, right. But I’ve gone to run in, like a wanker does, when one of my big mates actually picks me up by the collar, and all while my legs are still going 10 to the dozen. One of the boys goes, ‘look it’s Scrappy Doo … let me at him, let me at him’. And the name stuck.” So when Vickers arrived Down Under to open a gym, Scrappy MMA it was.
Where is this fight being held?
New York’s famed fighting mecca, Madison Square Garden. Already MSG has proved a happy hunting ground for fellow Australians like George Kambosos, Cherneka Johnson, even WWE superstar Rhea Ripley. Another Aussie favourite Daniel Geale also bravely challenged Gennady Golovkin here. And now JDM plans to rock the joint just like ACDC previously. Coincidentally, Acca Dacca are also the band behind the champ’s most recent UFC walkout track. Know too that Della is currently undefeated in all six fights Stateside, while also owning wins on the road in Canada, England and Singapore.
Any other Aussies on the card?
Absolutely, there is. Cody Haddon. A hyped bantamweight prospect from Perth, Haddon’s exciting style is lifted from an outstanding amateur boxing career. Like Maddalena in the main event however, he will also start as the underdog against American knockout artist Malcolm Wellmaker. Undefeated in 10 fights, Wellmaker comes into this one boasting consecutive UFC knockout wins, both in the first round. It follows him also doing the same on Dana White’s Contender Series. Haddon, however, comes with huge raps too. In nine professional fights, the 27-year-old has only lost once. And that was in a domestic classic against Steve Erceg, who has since gone to within one error of claiming the UFC flyweight crown. The Aussies are also now training partners.
Cody Haddon of Australia secures a rear choke submission against Billy Brand in a bantamweight fight during Dana White’s Contender Series, season eight week two on August 20, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)Source: Getty Images
How does the card rate generally?
Absolute belter. In the co-main, UFC flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko defends against Weili Zhang, who is herself moving up to chase more gold after reigning for three years over the strawweight division. Yet to get it done, the Chinese superstar will need to beat a women entering title fight No.14. Elsewhere on the main card you’ve also got two welterweight crackers between Leon Edwards and Carlos Prates, plus Sean Brady versus Michael Morales.
What are the bookies saying?
While Maddalena may be the champion, and on a tear stretching 18 straight fights, Makhachev is the overwhelming $1.35 TAB favourite. Della meanwhile, is wound out wider than three bucks. Elsewhere, Makhachev is also shorter to win by submission ($2.45) than the champ is to win generally. But know that Della loves the underdog tag. Always has. Same as the Aussie boasts an incredible competitive streak that makes him custom made for challenges like this one. So as for how bad said streak gets? “Well, try beating him at something,” Vickers laughs of a charge continually challenging the team at everything from tennis and spike ball to Mario Kart. Anything he isn’t good at? “Yeah,” coach adds, “he’s no good at not being good at things”. For what it’s worth, we’ll be putting the kids’ Christmas money on a $6 JDM KO.
Where can we watch it?
UFC 322 will be live on Main Event via Kayo Sports this Sunday, November 16 from 2pm AEDT. You can also catch the undercard, featuring Haddon, on ESPN via Kayo from 12 noon.
FULL UFC 322 CARD
Main card (from 2pm AEST Sunday)
Jack Della Maddalena (c) vs. Islam Makhachev — welterweight title fight:
Valentina Shevchenko (c) vs. Zhang Weili — women’s flyweight title fight:
Sean Brady vs. Michael Morales — welterweight
Leon Edwards vs. Carlos Prates — welterweight
Beneil Dariush vs. Benoit Saint-Denis — lightweight
Preliminary card (from 12pm AEDT)
Bo Nickal vs. Rodolfo Vieira — middleweight
Roman Kopylov vs. Gregory Rodrigues — middleweight
Erin Blanchfield vs. Tracy Cortez — women’s flyweight
Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Cody Haddon — bantamweight
Early prelims (from 10am AEDT)
Kyle Daukaus vs. Gerald Meerschaert – middleweight
Pat Sabatini vs. Chepe Mariscal — featherweight
Angela Hill vs. Fatima Kline — women’s strawweight
Baisangur Susurkaev vs. Eric McConico — middleweight
