Latest news with #DellaMaddalena
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Coach, Khabib Nurmagomedov agree: Jack Della Maddalena toughest test for Islam Makhachev
ABU DHABI – Like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Javier Mendez is not underestimating Jack Della Maddalena. Former 155-pound champion Islam Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) will look to claim a second UFC belt when he challenges welterweight champion Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) later in the year. Nurmagomedov called Della Maddalena Makhachev's toughest fight – even over lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, and their head coach Mendez agrees. "I'm going to have to one million percent agree with Khabib, I think this is our toughest test," Mendez told MMA Junkie. "This is my and Khabib's biggest responsibility to make sure we get Islam in tip-top shape and ready to do what we think and what we believe he will do, and that's win, but it's not going to be easy. "If we make it look easy, it's because we were properly prepared, and Jack just happened to give us what we needed, but this is by no means a walkover fight. This is a really tough fight, and we have immense respect for Jack and their team and what they can do." So what makes Della Maddalena such a threat? "I think what makes JDM so dangerous No. 1 is he's unbeaten for quite a while," Mendez said. "He's had quite a long win streak, and the fact that this guy mixes it up extremely well. He goes to the body, to the head, and he doesn't just stick to head hunting. He mixes it all up. He goes body, punch, then also the kick comes. "With him, his takedown defense is really, really good also. So, we are not in a situation where we can think we're going to go to the ground. No, we got to see what he's going to give us, and probably we're going to have to make him give us something because I don't know if he's going to. He's really that good." Mendez assures that unlike Belal Muhammad, who opted to mainly stand and strike with Della Maddalena in his UFC 315 title loss, Makhachev won't divert from the game plan. "When I looked at Belal, he stuck primarily to one thing, was more the standup," Mendez told MMA Junkie. "With Islam, I've always told everybody, we can switch up second for second, minute for minute, round for round. Whatever Khabib and I, and the other coaches need to do, we will do and Islam will follow our instructions. He always has. If there's one thing I can say about Islam is whatever I say, Khabib says, we're on the same track, we're not on the same track, he listens to us."
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dustin Poirier: First two rounds tell us how Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev goes
Dustin Poirier gave insight on Islam Makhachev's UFC welterweight debut. Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) vacated his UFC lightweight title for a move up to 170 pounds, and is expected to challenge welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) at the end of the year. Advertisement Poirier (30-9 MMA, 22-8 UFC) was submitted by Makhachev at UFC 302 last June. A heavy handed and technical boxer like Della Maddalena, "The Diamond" explained how the Aussie's approach will impact how the fight goes. "I think we'll find out in the first or second round how much trouble (Makhachev) has getting (Della Maddalena) down," Poirier told MMA Junkie. "I think if he gets those takedowns, he's going to get the win. If Jack can stop those takedowns – he does have good takedown defense - I think the boxing and the size could wear on Islam and give him some problems. But Islam's striking is awkward and different. You have to worry so much about the takedown. "You can't plant your feet and throw off those number combinations and really rip and sit on your punches because he's going to change levels, so it changes the way you fight. For me, it did. I'm speaking from experience. We'll see how Jack approaches and how Jack executes out there, but if you're worried about takedowns, your shots are different. You're not sitting on everything and standing in front of the guy, you're trying to move and be light on your feet. I think the first two rounds will tell us how the fight is going to go." Della Maddalena was able to fend off Belal Muhammad's grappling and outstrike him en route to a unanimous decision win to claim the welterweight title at UFC 315. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Dustin Poirier breaks down Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev
USA Today
01-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Dustin Poirier: First two rounds tell us how Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev goes
Dustin Poirier gave insight on Islam Makhachev's UFC welterweight debut. Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) vacated his UFC lightweight title for a move up to 170 pounds, and is expected to challenge welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) at the end of the year. Poirier (30-9 MMA, 22-8 UFC) was submitted by Makhachev at UFC 302 last June. A heavy handed and technical boxer like Della Maddalena, "The Diamond" explained how the Aussie's approach will impact how the fight goes. "I think we'll find out in the first or second round how much trouble (Makhachev) has getting (Della Maddalena) down," Poirier told MMA Junkie. "I think if he gets those takedowns, he's going to get the win. If Jack can stop those takedowns – he does have good takedown defense - I think the boxing and the size could wear on Islam and give him some problems. But Islam's striking is awkward and different. You have to worry so much about the takedown. "You can't plant your feet and throw off those number combinations and really rip and sit on your punches because he's going to change levels, so it changes the way you fight. For me, it did. I'm speaking from experience. We'll see how Jack approaches and how Jack executes out there, but if you're worried about takedowns, your shots are different. You're not sitting on everything and standing in front of the guy, you're trying to move and be light on your feet. I think the first two rounds will tell us how the fight is going to go." Della Maddalena was able to fend off Belal Muhammad's grappling and outstrike him en route to a unanimous decision win to claim the welterweight title at UFC 315.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Islam Makhachev admits improved Jack Della Maddalena is 'going to be a hard fight'
Islam Makhachev not taking UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena lightly. Standing in Makhachev's pursuit of a second UFC belt is Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC), who outstruck Belal Muhammad to claim the welterweight title at UFC 315 last month. Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) acknowledges the Aussie has shown vast improvements in his game. Advertisement "It's going to be a hard fight. Honestly, it's going to be," Makhachev told MMA Junkie. "I saw his fight against Belal. He's good, man. When he began fighting in the UFC, he had problems with wrestling, but now he's improved because I've seen him training a lot with wrestlers and grapplers, and that's why he's champion right now. He's good everywhere. But we will see who's the best fighter in the world very soon." Makhachev was surprised to see Della Maddalena dethrone Muhammad, who he's trained with before on numerous occasions. He was also confused by Muhammad's game plan. "It was crazy," Makhachev said. "I know Belal well. I was training with him many times, and I know his skills. I was surprised how he fought. I was surprised by his fight plan. I think he did mistakes. He had the option, but he didn't use (it). He started to wrestle in the last round, maybe. "You have to wrestle from the first round if you have plan to wrestle because you can make him tired – you're not sweating. I saw: Maddalena has improved a lot because he has really good boxing, and he knows everybody is going to try to take him down, and now he has good defense." Advertisement Many viewed Makhachev as a big lightweight, but the move up to welterweight hasn't been as seamless as expected. "I will try to be big, but it's not easy," Makhachev said. "All my life, I've been cutting weight, but now when I want to be big, my weight stays in the same position. I try to lift more. We do some program and slowly, slowly we bring maybe two kilograms now. It's very hard, but I don't want to be big by eating and not training. I want to be with muscles. I want to train, do right lifting program, and bring some muscles." This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Islam Makhachev: Jack Della Maddalena is 'going to be a hard fight'
USA Today
27-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Islam Makhachev admits improved Jack Della Maddalena is 'going to be a hard fight'
Islam Makhachev not taking UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena lightly. Standing in Makhachev's pursuit of a second UFC belt is Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC), who outstruck Belal Muhammad to claim the welterweight title at UFC 315 last month. Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) acknowledges the Aussie has shown vast improvements in his game. "It's going to be a hard fight. Honestly, it's going to be," Makhachev told MMA Junkie. "I saw his fight against Belal. He's good, man. When he began fighting in the UFC, he had problems with wrestling, but now he's improved because I've seen him training a lot with wrestlers and grapplers, and that's why he's champion right now. He's good everywhere. But we will see who's the best fighter in the world very soon." Makhachev was surprised to see Della Maddalena dethrone Muhammad, who he's trained with before on numerous occasions. He was also confused by Muhammad's game plan. "It was crazy," Makhachev said. "I know Belal well. I was training with him many times, and I know his skills. I was surprised how he fought. I was surprised by his fight plan. I think he did mistakes. He had the option, but he didn't use (it). He started to wrestle in the last round, maybe. "You have to wrestle from the first round if you have plan to wrestle because you can make him tired – you're not sweating. I saw: Maddalena has improved a lot because he has really good boxing, and he knows everybody is going to try to take him down, and now he has good defense." Many viewed Makhachev as a big lightweight, but the move up to welterweight hasn't been as seamless as expected. "I will try to be big, but it's not easy," Makhachev said. "All my life, I've been cutting weight, but now when I want to be big, my weight stays in the same position. I try to lift more. We do some program and slowly, slowly we bring maybe two kilograms now. It's very hard, but I don't want to be big by eating and not training. I want to be with muscles. I want to train, do right lifting program, and bring some muscles."
