Australian welterweight Jack Della Maddalena has expressed his desire to face Islam Makhachev again inside the octagon. Della Maddalena stated that his goal is to challenge himself and see if he can improve his skills enough to defeat the champion. He acknowledged that achieving this rematch will be difficult given the current level of competition in the division. The post notes that Della Maddalena will need a convincing victory over his next opponent, Prates, to make this potential matchup a reality.
Jack Della Maddalena has made clear he wants another crack at welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, publicly stating his ambition to rematch the Russian and prove he has the tools to get the job done.
The 29-year-old Australian, who trains out of Scrappy MMA, currently sits fourth in the welterweight rankings and thirteenth in the pound-for-pound standings with an 18-4 record. At six-foot-one with a 73-inch reach, Della Maddalena is one of the division's most active strikers, landing 5.57 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy. He acknowledged the path back to a title shot will not be straightforward given the talent stacked throughout the division, and identified a convincing win over his next opponent, Prates, as the necessary first step.
Makhachev, 34, holds a 28-1 record and sits atop both the welterweight division and the pound-for-pound rankings as the reigning champion. The Dagestan native, who fights out of Eagles MMA, combines a relentless grappling game — averaging 3.2 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes — with sharp striking at 58 percent accuracy. At five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach, the southpaw champion presents a stylistic challenge that few in the division have managed to solve.
Why it matters
- Della Maddalena's ranking at fourth in the division keeps him in the conversation for a title shot if he performs.
- A win over Prates would likely strengthen his claim as the next contender in line.
- The stylistic contrast is sharp: Della Maddalena's high-volume striking against Makhachev's elite grappling and submission threat.
- Makhachev's lone career loss underscores how rarely anyone has found a path past the champion.
