Israel Adesanya makes bold prediction for UFC 322 main event

The welterweight title is on the line in the UFC 322 main event on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. Former lightweight titleholder Islam Makhachev (27-1) moves up to the welterweight division to challenge champion Jack Della Maddalena (18-2).

The bout pits two of the fight promotion's longest winning streaks against each other. Makhachev enters the fight riding 15 consecutive wins . His only career defeat came a decade ago. Della Maddalena brings with him an 18-fight winning streak to the octagon. It's been nine years since "JDM" felt a loss.

Former two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya gave his breakdown and prediction for of the UFC 322 main event championship bout on his YouTube channel. 

"Jack, just a technical beast. I say technical beast because he fights like a beast but he's got such good technique," Adesanya said about the champion. "His boxing is second to none. Good kickboxing as well, but his hands is where his money is."

Adesanya doesn't think Makhachev will want to stand and trade with Della Maddalena for very long. He believes the former lightweight titleholder is going to have difficulty keeping "JDM" down and it eventually resulting in his undoing.

"He has to shoot. Islam is not going to want to trade with Jack. He's going to stand with him, but is going to realize I need to shoot because this is where I'm supposed to win on, or am better at supposedly. And he can't keep Jack down," Adesanya said.

"I think striking-wise, Islam can definitely leg kick. He can definitely jab him, but I don't think he's going to hurt him. I think Islam will use his striking to get close and keep him guessing and to shoot because that's where Islam feels he's the most dangerous," continued "The Last Stylebender."

"When Jack keeps getting up - I'm not trying to count Islam out, but I just know Jack. I know that when Jack keeps getting up, that's going to be a problem, and Islam's going to be forced to strike. And when he's forced to strike with Jack, he's going to get hurt. That's where I'm at in this fight."

"I think Islam will be able to get him down. But for how long? And also, he's going to get stuffed from the beginning, in the middle, til Jack ends it," added Adesanya. "I really think Jack Della Maddalena has the skills to stifle Islam's game and be able to just put it on the feet and knock him out."