The championship aspirations of Australian mixed martial artist Jack Della Maddalena were decisively halted at UFC 322 in New York, where he fell to a grappling masterclass from the formidable Islam Makhachev.
Fighting at the iconic Madison Square Garden, Della Maddalena entered the bout as a significant underdog against Makhachev, a dominant former lightweight champion making his highly anticipated debut in the welterweight division. The prediction proved accurate, as Makhachev's superior ground game controlled the fight from start to finish.
Makhachev's Dominant Ground Game
The pressure was immediate and relentless. Just 70 seconds into the first round, Makhachev executed his first takedown, setting the tone for the entire contest. Della Maddalena found himself repeatedly pinned against the cage and on the mat, struggling to escape the suffocating control of his 34-year-old opponent. The first round ended with a warning for the Australian after an illegal kick as the horn sounded.
The second round was a near-repeat, with Della Maddalena spending another three gruelling minutes underneath Makhachev. Despite absorbing heavy elbows in the final seconds, the Aussie managed to scramble back to his feet, but the damage was being accumulated.
The Aussie's Valiant But Futile Effort
Urged by his corner to "wake up" between rounds, Della Maddalena showed a flicker of hope early in the third. He landed a series of sharp body shots in the centre of the octagon, demonstrating the striking power that had carried him to this title fight. However, Makhachev's painful kicks to the shin quickly wore him down, leading to another lightning-fast takedown.
The fight's narrative became unmistakably clear. Commentator Jon Anik noted at the start of the fourth round, "I've never seen a look like that on Jack Della Maddalena's face." Makhachev secured another takedown towards the two-minute mark, with analyst Joe Rogan observing, "He's just getting smothered on the ground."
In a desperate final attempt in the fifth round, Della Maddalena went for powerful, fight-ending shots. The aggressive move backfired, resulting in an immediate takedown from Makhachev that sealed the Australian's fate.
The Aftermath and Records
The judges scored the fight a unanimous victory for Islam Makhachev. This marks his 16th consecutive win, improving his incredible professional record to 28-1. For Jack Della Maddalena, this was his first defeat since May 2016, snapping a phenomenal run and moving his record to 18-3.
The event at Madison Square Garden showcased Makhachev's seamless transition to welterweight and served as a stern test for the rising Australian star, whose journey for UFC gold must now take a different path.
