Athletes
Jack Della Maddalena | The Grateful Underdog
Welterweight Champ Understands Focus On Challenger, Appreciative Of Opportunity Before Him This Weekend
There isn’t a fighter better suited to navigate the narratives and way the main event of VeChain UFC 322 is being framed than welterweight titleholder Jack Della Maddalena.
Although it’s his title on the line Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City, everything surrounding this weekend’s headlining tilt is focused on the challenger, former lightweight ruler Islam Makhachev. It’s his quest for moving up a division in search of a second title and the possibility of him equaling Anderson Silva’s record for the most consecutive victories in UFC history that are front-and-center as the duo heads into battle.
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Where most other defending champions would likely be a little tweaked — understandably — the man simply known as “JDM” understands the situation and relishes in being the underdog, despite currently sitting atop the 170-pound weight class.
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“I feel like I’m the underdog going into this fight from what Makhachev done in his career, but I embrace that; I embrace the underdog role,” the Perth man said. “I feel like I have everything to prove even though I’m the champion.
“I’ve got to prove (it), but I’m the best in the world.”
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Heading into his championship matchup with Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 this spring in Montreal, Della Maddalena was aware that if he won the belt, the dominant lightweight would be moving up to challenge him for the title in his first defense. When the scorecards came back in his favor, the matchup was more or less set, and the Dana White’s Contender Series graduate was quick to recognize the positives of the challenge in front of him this weekend.
“Being able to defend my belt against a great is a special moment,” offered the mild-mannered family man, who carries an 8-0 record in the UFC and 18-fight winning streak into the contest. “It’s a fight I’ve known about for a good 15, 16 weeks — really put a lot of work in, feel like we have a great game plan, and now it’s time to go out there and prove it to the world.
“I’ve always tried to fight bigger challenges every fight, and I guess this part of that trajectory,” continued the Australian. “It’s the biggest fight of my career; it’s a big challenge. It excites me, it motivates me to give it my all.
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“I believe I’ve got the skills to beat Makhachev, and it’s time to go out there and show the world.”
Another piece of what pulls Della Maddalena away from the talking points around the contest is that his status as UFC welterweight champion is about more than just himself.
Heading into his fight with Muhammad in Montreal and since coming away with the belt, Della has spoken about the influence seeing fellow Aussies Robert Whittaker and Alexander Volkanovski rise to the top of their respective divisions had on him as he was navigating the regional circuit.
Now, he’s the one inspiring the next generation. Fellow VeChain UFC 322 competitor and Perth man Cody Haddon has spoken about believing he could compete at this level after watching Della Maddalena earn his UFC contract just one fight after they both competed at Eternal MMA 53.
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“(Whittaker and Volkanovski) really inspired me — gave me belief that it is possible for an Australian to become a world champion — and to now motivate the next generation, inspire the next guys is pretty cool, and pretty surreal just being on the same list as guys like Volk and Robert,” he said. “There are gonna be a lot more Australian champions coming; hopefully the list keeps growing, and I believe it will.
“If I could inspire one future champion, it’s pretty special.”
In addition to showing him that an Australian could ascend to the greatest heights on the biggest stage in the sport, Volkanovski also provided some crucial insights on how to deal with Makhachev when the two faced off for the first time in Della Maddalena’s hometown.
That night at UFC 284, Volkanovski was the dominant champion moving up a weight class and chasing a second belt. Though he landed on the wrong side of the scorecards, the featherweight ruler pushed the standout from Dagestan more than anyone had before him, displaying outstanding defensive wrestling and hurting Makhachev in the final round and nearly becoming a 2-division world champion.
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“Volk did so well — he didn’t settle in positions,” Della Maddalena said. “Makhachev is so good. If he can settle into a spot, he’ll be able to hold you down for a whole round. Volk just did well bringing it to Islam — didn’t shy away from the battle and really went after him, which is something that has inspired me.
“I believe I can take Makhachev into deep waters like Volk did at the end of that fight,” he added. “He’s inspired me and I look forward to topping what Volk did.”
Listening to Della Maddalena speak about pieces of this journey, his opponent this weekend, and the massive moment in front of him, the overwhelming message that comes through is one of gratitude, and it’s honestly quite refreshing.
In a time where so many are focused on what they don’t have and feel they deserve, the welterweight champion is appreciative of the bucket list items he’s been able to cross off this year — from winning the title and competing in New York City to stepping in with one of the greatest fighters of his era and having the chance to kick of his championship reign with a bang, Della Maddalena is far more interested in taking it all in, being grateful for these moments, and aiming to create more of them in the future.
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“I wanted to become a champion, but I think becoming a defending champion is important, rather than just getting the belt and losing it,” he said. “I want to be a defending champion, so getting onto that list of defending champions is something that I’m working hard towards.
“I’m gonna leave it all out in the Octagon.”
Anyone that has ever watched Della Maddalena compete already knew that was the case, but the reminder is always welcome.
While it’s easy to just roll through the year and get comfortable with the ebbs and flows of each division, it’s worth pausing for a moment to think about where things stood in the welterweight ranks just a year ago.
Muhammad was champion and headed towards a clash with Shavkat Rakhmonov that never happened. Della Maddalena was still on the mend after fracturing his arm in his UFC 299 comeback win over Gilbert Burns, and Makhachev was comfortably positioned atop the lightweight division.
“A year ago, it would have been hard to picture that,” the champion said of his current situation. “I was definitely thinking I would become a champion, but maybe not this quick. It’s come around quick.
“Obviously I got the late-minute call-up to fight Belal, and just been on a good run since then, but yeah, I would definitely be pretty surprised if I would tell myself a year ago that this is where I would be now.”
He paused for a moment.
“I wonder where we’ll be in another year?” he asked, before providing his own answer. “Bigger and better.”
Maddyn Johnstone-Thomas contributed to this story.
VeChain UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev took place live from Madison Square Garden Arena in New York, New York on November 15, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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