UFC 322: Welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena preparing for best-ever Islam Makhachev in title defence
Jack Della Maddalena is preparing for a mixed martial arts war against arguably the best in the world as he looks to secure his legacy in the biggest fight of his career on Sunday.
Della Maddalena (18-2) will defend his welterweight title for the first time against former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev (27-1), who is looking to join the illustrious list of athletes to hold belts in two weight divisions.
The bout is being ear-marked as the biggest fight of the year and will be the main event of a stacked UFC 322 card at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York.
The 29-year-old became champion when he dethroned wrestler Belal Muhammad in May to create Western Australian sporting history, but Makhachev is widely viewed as being on a different level when it comes to work on the mat.
Della Maddalena said the fight would be more than just a battle of “striker versus grappler”, with both men to go blow-for-blow in front of a sold-out crowd.
“I respect Islam’s striking, it’s good. His grappling is some of the best in the world, so I am excited to test myself across the board. It’s going to be a mixed martial arts battle — I expect grappling, striking, the whole lot,” Della Maddalena said.
“It’s five rounds so I expect to be taken down but that’s not the end of the fight, that’s just the beginning. He’s going to be working hard to get the takedowns, and I believe if he gets me down, he’s going to have used a lot of energy so I will stay sharp. If I am on my back I will still be in the fight until the very end.
Camera IconJack Della Maddalena is ready for action. Credit: Ross Swanborough/The West Australian
“This is more than just striker versus grappler. He’s good on the feet, he’s got good weapons in his kicking, punching so I expect a battle on the feet.”
Makhachev said he was not afraid to stand up and go blow for blow with the Australian despite many considering Della Maddalena the most technical boxer in the UFC.
“He is a good striker, but I also have good skills. I respect it, I care about his striking, but I am also a good striker,” Makhachev said.
“It’s not like I have to wrestle all of the fight, I can strike. This is MMA, not wrestling so that’s why I am not looking at just wrestling. I will wrestle with him; I will strike with him.”
Makhachev, 34, has warned that he would be stronger at welterweight after going up a division following a record four consecutive title defences at lightweight.
“Jack is a good fighter, a hard challenge for me. But I am the hardest challenge for him also so it’s going to be a good fight,” he said.
“It (the weight cut) is less stress, less pressure for me because some of the time it is hard at lightweight.
“I will have more power, I feel it is going to be more comfortable. A lot of things have changed when I changed divisions. I’ve become more strong, bigger and feel happy from the training, from all of the camp.”
It has Della Maddalena preparing for the best version of Makhachev, something he said would make the victory even sweeter.
“I am expecting him to be more powerful. A bigger, stronger guy so I am expecting, and the team are expecting the toughest, biggest, strongest Makhachev that’s been,” he said.
“That’s what we’re gunning for, that’s the challenge at hand and I am excited for it. I believe I have the skills, the team with me and we’re ready to get the job done.”
Della Maddalena might be alone in the octagon, but he’s had plenty of help in the lead up to the biggest bout of his career to date.
Renowned Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Craig Jones once again joined the camp, while two-time featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski – who has fought Makhachev twice – also spent time with Della Maddalena alongside coach Ben Vickers.
“Anytime you get to spend time with Volk, watching him in the gym is pretty special. Being a young Australian, he is extremely inspiring to me, and he’s been in there with Makhachev so he’s the perfect man to pass on some tips” Della Maddalena said.
“Watching Volk work, he’s an extremely hard worker. Seeing him in the room, pushing the pace just shows me the level of where I need to be if I want to be a defending champion.
“I’ve been working with Craig a bit. He’s obviously very good at grappling and he’s got his ideas of where he thinks the battles will be won and lost.”
Makhachev played down Volkanovski’s importance in Della Maddalena’s preparation for the crucial bout.
“I want people to understand it doesn’t work like this. You can’t bring some people on camp and it’s going to change your game,” he said.
“You have to do many years to improve. With wrestling you have to train for five, six or 10 years to improve.”
Regardless, Della Maddalena expects his hand to be raised at the end of the fight no matter how long it lasts.
“It’s going to be a tough fight. I expect puff and blood, the whole lot,” he said.
“I expect my arm getting raised and I believe if I make the right decisions I can take him out of there before the final bell.”
