TLDR
- Jack Della Maddalena welcomes Islam Makhachev moving up to welterweight for his first title defense at UFC 322 on Saturday
- Della Maddalena hopes to prove Makhachev doesn’t belong at 170 pounds and send him back to lightweight
- Makhachev enters as the favorite despite never competing at welterweight, riding a 15-fight win streak
- Kamaru Usman wants to fight the winner, claiming he has earned the next title shot after beating Joaquin Buckley
- Belal Muhammad and Ian Machado Garry will also make their case for a title shot at UFC Qatar on November 22
Jack Della Maddalena will defend his welterweight title for the first time against Islam Makhachev at UFC 322 this Saturday at Madison Square Garden. The Australian champion is taking on one of the sport’s most decorated fighters in his debut at 170 pounds.
Della Maddalena actually wants people to say Makhachev is too small for welterweight after the fight. He told MMA Fighting that he hopes the narrative the day after is that Makhachev is just a lightweight who would never do well in the division. The champion wants to put Makhachev back in his place at 155 pounds.
Makhachev previously questioned fighting smaller opponents when he was lightweight champion. He held two wins over former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and heard criticism about defending his title against fighters better suited for 145 pounds. This led Makhachev to avoid a potential title defense against Ilia Topuria unless he got a win at lightweight first.
This promo for Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev 🍿#UFC322 can't come soon enough ⏳ pic.twitter.com/Rk8yGvo0fp
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) November 9, 2025
The situation is now reversed with Makhachev moving up in weight. Della Maddalena could make the same argument that Makhachev made about Topuria. However, the champion believes Makhachev has done enough to earn the opportunity based on his overall resume.
Della Maddalena said Makhachev cleared out the lightweight division and deserves a shot at becoming a two-division champion. He called it the biggest challenge of his career. Makhachev currently rides a 15-fight win streak and has been ranked near the top of the pound-for-pound rankings for several years.
The champion isn’t just focused on size differences in this fight. Della Maddalena recognizes that beating the pound-for-pound number one fighter adds enormous value to his legacy at welterweight. He said he couldn’t ask for anything bigger or better for his first title defense in New York City.
Striking vs Grappling
Most observers view the fight as Della Maddalena’s striking against Makhachev’s grappling. The champion has shown improvement in his wrestling defense in recent fights. He countered Gilbert Burns and scored a third-round knockout while also shutting down Belal Muhammad’s wrestling when he won the title in May.
Della Maddalena said his perfect fight would be keeping Makhachev on the outside and getting a finish on the feet. However, he also wants to test himself against someone with Makhachev’s credentials. The champion has been working on his grappling day in and day out, building confidence from each fight.
Jack Della Maddalena had some harsh words for Islam Makhachev ahead of #UFC322 👀😬
“He’ll never be that G.O.A.T. I can’t see it happening.” pic.twitter.com/txpjMmqWvD
— Octagon Pulse | UFC MEDIA🚨 (@OctagonPulse) November 10, 2025
Despite being the champion, Della Maddalena enters as the underdog. Makhachev is favored by more than 2-to-1 at most sportsbooks. The champion said he feels like he’s being written off and has everything to prove.
Della Maddalena said he likes having the underdog mentality. It gives him more motivation and drive to prove he’s the champion. He believes opinions will change after fight night when he wins again.
Title Picture Takes Shape
Kamaru Usman is watching UFC 322 closely as a potential next challenger. The former welterweight champion wants to fight the winner after his unanimous decision win over Joaquin Buckley in June. That victory came after three consecutive losses and a 20-month layoff that raised questions about his career.
Usman told MMA Junkie he thinks he has earned the next title shot. He said he doesn’t have another 20 fights left and wants the biggest, most challenging fights available. The 38-year-old is particularly interested in fighting Makhachev if he wins the welterweight title.
Usman believes a fight with Makhachev would be historic. He said it would be the first time two pound-for-pound fighters with contrasting grappling styles faced each other. Usman won and defended the welterweight title five times from 2019 to 2021 before losing to Leon Edwards.
Other contenders are also positioning themselves for title shots. Former champion Belal Muhammad faces Ian Machado Garry on November 22 at UFC Qatar. That fight could produce another top contender depending on Saturday’s result.
UFC CEO Dana White recently called Usman the greatest welterweight of all time, surpassing Georges St-Pierre. Usman hopes the UFC agrees he has earned another title shot. He said no one deserves anything but he thinks he has shown he is still that guy and ready to sit at the top of the division again.
