Following his loss to Carlos Prates, Jack Della Maddalena has weighed in on the welterweight title picture, stating that Shavkat Rakhmonov deserves a title opportunity against Islam Makhachev. Della Maddalena's comments suggest he believes Rakhmonov has earned his shot at the championship. This statement comes as the welterweight division continues to sort out its contender rankings. Della Maddalena's perspective on the title picture indicates respect for Rakhmonov's credentials despite his own recent setback.
Jack Della Maddalena has broken his silence following his loss to Carlos Prates, turning attention to the welterweight title picture and publicly backing Shavkat Rakhmonov for a shot at Islam Makhachev's championship.
Della Maddalena, 29, holds an 18-4 record and sits fourth in the welterweight rankings. The Australian, who trains out of Scrappy MMA, is one of the division's most active offensive threats, averaging 5.57 significant strikes landed per minute at 51 percent accuracy. Despite his recent setback, he remains ranked 13th pound-for-pound and carries genuine credibility when speaking on divisional matters.
Rakhmonov, the fighter Della Maddalena is endorsing, enters the conversation with an unblemished 19-0 record and is currently ranked third at welterweight. The 31-year-old Kazakhstani known as "Nomad" is a complete mixed martial artist, landing 3.25 significant strikes per minute at an imposing 60 percent accuracy while also averaging 1.4 takedowns and 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes. His undefeated record and well-rounded skill set have made him a persistent name in title discussions.
Standing across from that case is Makhachev, who rules the welterweight division with a 28-1 record. The 34-year-old Russian champion, fighting out of Eagles MMA, is a relentless pressure wrestler averaging 3.2 takedowns per 15 minutes with sharp striking accuracy of 58 percent. He holds the number-one pound-for-pound ranking and has looked dominant since moving to 170 pounds.
Why it matters
- Rakhmonov's perfect record and third-place divisional ranking make him one of the strongest arguments for the next title shot
- Della Maddalena's endorsement, despite his own contender ambitions, adds weight to Rakhmonov's case within the division
- A Rakhmonov versus Makhachev matchup would pit an undefeated striker-grappler against the division's most accomplished wrestler
