Sean O'Malley gives his UFC 322 main event prediction

In one of the most anticipated fights of the year, former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev moves up to the welterweight division to challenge 170-pound titleholder Jack Della Maddalena in the UFC 322 main event.

Della Maddalena (18-2) captured the welterweight title at UFC 315 in May, defeating then-champion Belal Muhammad via unanimous decision. Makhachev (27-1) vacated the 155-pound championship to move up a weight class chasing a second UFC divisional title.

Former bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley weighed in on the UFC 322 main event match and revealed his prediction.

"Islam is moving up from 155. Absolutely tearing out the division. Moving up to 170 chasing double champ status in Madison Square Garden where it's been done so many times before," O'Malley said on his YouTube channel. "GSP (Georges St-Pierre) did it. Conor [McGregor] did it. I don't know if [Daniel] Cormier did it there or what, but that is a legendary place."

"I don't think Jack's going to be that much bigger than Islam. I think they're going to be probably pretty similar size. Here it says Islam is 5'8. Jack is 5'9. I mean, they're not, height-wise, they seem very similar. Weight-wise, I don't think it's going to play that much of a role," continued O'Malley.

"This is a huge fight... I'm going to go with Islam. I just think he's going to be - I think it's going to be a close fight. I think he's going to squeak out a close fight. God, I don't know. I hate guessing fights, man. I hate guessing fights, but I'm going to go with Islam."  

Regardless who wins, one of the longest active UFC winning streaks will come to an end. Makhachev enters the fight riding a 15-fight winning streak. 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.