Jack Della Maddalena praised for potential to mirror UFC icon’s clash with Islam Makhachev

Islam Makhachev’s run at lightweight was full of dominant displays before he made the move to welterweight and gave up his title.

But not every fight was a one-sided affair. He has had plenty of tough matchups along the way.

When people point to reasons why Jack Della Maddalena could pull off a win at UFC 322, they often highlight his showing against Belal Muhammad, where he took home the belt.

Steve Erceg told Bloody Elbow in a recent interview that, even though he had been following ‘JDM’ for years, what he did at UFC 315 still caught him off guard.

“I’ve known for a very long time that Jack is an amazing fighter. He’s really good and he shocked me on how good he was. He handled the grappling exchanges so well and it’s the best striking performance I’ve seen from him.

“The big moment, he rose to the occasion, it was fantastic to see. I do think that the grappling from Islam, he’s a better technical grappler than Belal is but he’s not quite as big. He’s not as imposing.”

Erceg also brought up Makhachev’s fight against Dustin Poirier as an example of how Della Maddalena could find similar openings – only with more power behind them.

“If you look at the Dustin Poirier fight, Dustin was able to stop some of his takedowns and win some scrambles and stuff like that. I think not only will Jack be able to do that, but when he lands punches, it’s going to be way more devastating.”

Looking back at the stats of Makhachev’s win over Dustin Poirier

Leading into the fifth round of UFC 302, when Islam Makhachev ultimately submitted Dustin Poirier, two judges’ scorecards indicated that the challenger required a finish to win.

Poirier stayed competitive throughout, managing to keep the fight standing at times and landing shots of his own.

Makhachev still looked sharp, showing clear improvements in his striking. But it is the kind of performance that Della Maddalena and his camp will be studying closely.

JDM brings size and power that Makhachev has not often faced. While there may be questions about who should be favoured, there is no doubt this matchup poses a real threat to the former lightweight champion.