Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev Set for UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden

Della Maddalena’s Rise

Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) captured welterweight gold in May, defeating Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision in a five-round showcase of sharp boxing and composure. The Australian standout has been perfect in the UFC since emerging from Dana White’s Contender Series, collecting wins over Pete Rodriguez, Ramazan Emeev, Danny Roberts, Randy Brown, Bassil Hafez, Kevin Holland, Gilbert Burns, and Muhammad in his title run. UFC 322 marks his first title defense.

Makhachev’s Bid for Double Gold

Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) vacated his lightweight belt to chase history as a two-division champion. His resume includes victories over Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, and Alexander Volkanovski (twice), plus a title defense against Renato Moicano earlier this year. Now, he steps up to 170 pounds in search of another UFC crown.

Stacked UFC 322 Card

The MSG card is shaping up as one of the year’s biggest:

• Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev — for the welterweight title

• Valentina Shevchenko vs. Zhang Weili — for the women’s flyweight title

• Leon Edwards vs. Carlos Prates

• Erin Blanchfield vs. Tracy Cortez

Why It Matters

Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev pits two of the UFC’s sharpest technicians against one another Della Maddalena’s elite boxing and pressure vs. Makhachev’s suffocating grappling and all-around championship pedigree. For Makhachev, victory would make him a two-weight UFC champion. For Della Maddalena, it’s the ultimate chance to prove he’s the new elite at 170 pounds by turning back one of the sport’s most dominant forces.