West Australian fighting sensation Jack Della Maddalena has made a bold promise to Australian MMA fans ahead of his UFC 322 title defence against Russian powerhouse Islam Makhachev this weekend.
The Perth native declared he will bring the UFC welterweight championship belt back home to Australia following his blockbuster main event clash at Madison Square Garden on Sunday morning Australian time.
Tensions boil over at pre-fight faceoff
The fight week atmosphere reached boiling point when Della Maddalena (18-2) and Makhachev (27-1) engaged in a prolonged and intense staredown that required UFC officials to separate the two warriors.
This marks Della Maddalena's first title defence since capturing the welterweight crown from Belal Muhammad back in May. Standing across from him will be arguably the toughest challenge in mixed martial arts today - Makhachev enters the bout riding an impressive 15-fight winning streak after vacating his lightweight championship to move up in weight class.
Despite the magnitude of the occasion, the Australian showed no signs of nerves during the pre-fight press conference, confidently stating his intentions to hand the Dagestani fighter only the second loss of his professional career.
Australian pride on the line
"I'm going to bring this belt back home to Australia, no doubt," Della Maddalena declared to a vocal crowd.
"Obviously Islam's a legend. A big win over him would be a big name on the resume and it would definitely put me up on the pound-for-pound list."
The rivalry took on nationalistic tones when Makhachev taunted Australian MMA enthusiasts, claiming he would improve his record to 4-0 against athletes from the region. The Russian fighter has previously defeated Australian Alexander Volkanovski twice and scored a victory over New Zealander Dan Hooker in 2021.
"Australia, it's a good place. I was there, I like it and now it's 3-0, I will make it four," Makhachev stated.
Della Maddalena quickly fired back, highlighting Australia's growing reputation as a breeding ground for elite mixed martial artists.
"I am very proud to be Australian, very proud to raise the Australian flag," he responded. "Australia is very competitive; it has a fighting culture and that's why we're doing so well. We have two champions and after this weekend we will still have two champions."
Clash of fighting styles
Most analysts predict the bout will feature a classic striker versus grappler dynamic, pitting Della Maddalena's elite boxing skills against Makhachev's world-class wrestling pedigree.
When questioned about whether the Australian possesses the best hands in the promotion, a smiling Makhachev offered a measured response: "I don't know. Jack is one of the best, but I am also a good striker, so let's see who is better."
Della Maddalena expressed complete confidence in his ability to neutralize Makhachev's renowned takedown game, having successfully defended against wrestling-heavy approaches in previous bouts, including his title-winning performance against Muhammad.
"Yep, absolutely. (The) full 25 minutes," he stated when asked if he could stuff Makhachev's takedown attempts throughout the potential five-round championship affair.
The stage is set for an epic confrontation that could reshape the UFC's welterweight landscape and determine Australia's standing in the global mixed martial arts hierarchy.
