Australia’s Jack Della Maddalena has opened up on plans to have Islam Makhachev fight for the UFC welterweight title in Australia this September, while also promising to KO the superstar who has made “a big mistake” by vacating his own UFC gold.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia from New York on Wednesday, 28-year-old ‘Della’ – aka the nation’s newest fight star – also questioned Makhachev’s stand up, suggested he should be forced to travel Down Under to fight, and branded himself a tougher assignment for the superstar than countryman, Alexander Volkanovski.
Elsewhere, JDM also urged UFC executives to put both himself and Volkanovski together on the same blockbuster card later this year, describing the idea as “surreal”, while also talking through head coach Ben Vickers going viral thanks to his now infamous “just keep pinging the c***” world title corner advice.
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Only three days on from taking Belal Muhammad’s crown at UFC 315, Maddalena has already been confirmed for a blockbuster first defence against Makhachev – who has himself vacated UFC lightweight gold for the opportunity.
Early on Wednesday morning, UFC president Dana White announced the Dagestani superstar was vacating to move up and challenge JDM, with a September headliner in Perth among potential options being rumoured.
Initially, Makhachev was being pitched to defend against Ilia Topuria, who has himself vacated the UFC featherweight title.
However, Topuria will now face Brazilian Charles Oliviera for the vacant strap at UFC 317 in Las Vegas next month.
Speaking only minutes after all of this was announced, Maddalena said he knew nothing more than what had been revealed be White – “I’ve only heard what you have” – and stressed no contracts had yet been signed.
Regardless, the new champ said he was keen for the Makhachev challenge, and promised to send him immediately back to lightweight.
Shevchenko defends flyweight strap! | 02:56
Asked about his rival vacating the title to face him, JDM replied: “Coming up, I don’t think he was given a choice.
“But I also think this is what he wants.
“He wants a legacy fight, wants to become the double champ.
“But it’s a big mistake.”
Even without his UFC lightweight strap, Makhachev is still ranked No.1 on the UFC pound-for-pound list.
Elsewhere, the 33-year-old Russian also boasts two UFC lightweight title wins over Volkanovski, earning a contentious decision win in early 2023 before, nine months later, taking their rematch via brutal KO.
After watching JDM defeat close friend Muhammad at UFC 315 last Sunday, Makhachev immediately to ‘X’ – formerly Twitter – and declared: Time to become double champ #inshaAllah Let’s go.
Then soon after, and following Della’s Octagon interview – where the Aussie not only welcomed a Makhachev challenge, but promised to get one back for Volk – the Russian then aimed a tweet directly at the new champ, adding: You are not Volk I will show you different level. Keep my belt clean.
Asked about that on Wednesday and JDM agreed he was a different challenge.
In fact, given he fights two weight classes higher than Volkanovski, the Perth native stressed he would prove a far tougher test for the man who will now be moving up himself to chase a second title.
“I think Volk is the man, tremendous fighter,” Della started.
“But I think my size will be the big difference in that fight.
“Makhachev, he’s a lot bigger than Volk.
“But we all saw what Alex did to him in that first fight.
“So I think with the size advantage, I can do good work.”
Pushed on where else the challenge would be different for Makhachev, the new champ continued: “I’ve got a different style to Volk, so I think I can keep it standing.
“And I think I can sting him on the feet.
“That’s what I believe.
“I really believe I can stop the takedowns and then damage Makhachev on the feet, where I’ve got a big advantage.
“I think I can take him out.”
So you’re going to finish the UFC’s pound-for-pound king?
“I believe I can finish him, yeah,” JDM continued.
“We saw Volk do a really good job the first time – I actually still think he won that fight — and believe I have the skills to take him out.
“Makhachev’s striking, it’s improving but I don’t think it is extremely high level.
“It’s good, and gets him by against other good strikers.
“But it’s his submission skills and wrestling that are his number one threat.”
JDM THRIVES in the 5th! Dethrones Belal! | 00:58
Already, it has been announced that Perth is getting a UFC Fight Night event sometime this year, however JDM has urged UFC powerbrokers to now make the card a numbered pay-per-view instead.
The Aussie also suggested he and Volkanovski both fight for titles on what would shape as a blockbuster event.
“And I think they could make that happen,” he said.
Asked if he thinks, however, that Makhachev will push for the fight to be anywhere but Down Under, JDM continued: “I don’t think so, no.
“Being from Russia, I don’t think those guys are too fazed about travelling.
“He travels to all his fights.
“Same as me.
“So I don’t think he is opposed to travelling.”
Given Makhachev is now a challenger, should he go where you want?
“That’s how it should work, yeah,” Della continued.
“Doesn’t mean it will, but he should come to me.
“They’ve already got an event sorted (for Perth) later this year.
“I’m not sure how hard it would be to change things from a Fight Night to a pay-per-view but it will definitely be special if we can make it happen.”
JDM added that he would be ready to fight again in September, which appears to be the next free date for a UFC pay-per-view headliner.
“There is no structural damage, just a few bruises,” he said. “I’ll be back in the gym next week.”
Elsewhere, Maddalena also laughed when asked about his coach, Vickers, going viral across social media in recent days for a speech delivered from his corner between rounds four and five last weekend, and with two scorecards tied.
“Five minutes to realise all your f***ing dreams,” the coach started, addressing his fighter.
“Let’s go.
“Safety first. Stay focused. Keep pinging the c***t.”
Which wonderfully, the Aussie did.
“And every time I’ve watched that video since, it gives me goosebumps,” JDM said, grinning.
“My coach obviously knows me well.
“And that was perfect advice.
“Perfect.
“It still gets my heart rate going when I hear it now.
“And the ‘keep pinging him’ line … it really was perfect advice.
“Ben didn’t want me to get too excited.
“Wanted me to be sound but without letting him off the hook, either.”
Is it something you remembered afterwards?
“I didn’t remember it until seeing it,” he conceded.
“But that’s Ben.
“It’s who he is.
“It wasn’t a surprising thing to come out of his mouth.”
How did you feel going into the fifth?
“I felt good, and the gas tank was good,” he recounted.
“The fourth round was Belal’s best I believe.
“So I had that feeling like he might be coming back – and he was — so I knew I’d have to dig deep in the fifth.
“But I still had good gas, felt in control.
“I was excited.
“Leading into the fight, I’d been thinking that I wanted to get him out of there in the fifth round if we did get to that point.
“And I really did want that finish.
“But he was tough.”
When it comes to the Makhachev showdown, early odds out of Las Vegas already have JDM a +170 underdog, with the challenger at -200.
“So he’s just the favourite, right?” Della said.
Correct.
“OK, I guess we’ll have to see how it goes,” he grinned. “Given Islam is number one pound-for-pound, a lot of people probably think he’s just going to be able to take me down.
“But maybe (the closeness of the odds) suggest they also think size plays into my hands a little bit.
“And maybe after watching on the weekend they have more respect for my grappling.
“I know you only to watch us fight to know I have the better striking.
“And I welcome the challenge.
“Right now he’s the number one guy in the world, pound for pound.
“So to become UFC welterweight champion, and then beat the number one pound for pound … that’s a nice run of wins.”
And as for that first defence being in his hometown?
“I’m really hoping they can make something happen,” he said.
“And I think that makes sense.
“It would be such a big event.
“A hometown guy who has some history there with Makhachev.
“It will be awesome if we can make it happen.”
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