TLDR
- Jack Della Maddalena attributes his loss to Islam Makhachev to being too passive and not capitalizing on escape opportunities
- He admitted to being stuck on his back for 25 minutes and called his approach ‘a bit of laziness’
- The viral ‘sad face’ expression was simply disappointment at knowing he was underperforming during the fight
- Della Maddalena faces Carlos Prates in the UFC Perth main event on May 2 at RAC Arena
- He still believes he’s among the best in the world and wants a rematch with Makhachev after beating top contenders
Sources: Bloody Elbow | Australian MMA | Yardbarker | AgentMMA
Australian welterweight Jack Della Maddalena has opened up about his loss to Islam Makhachev, attributing the defeat to his own passive approach and missed opportunities during the fight. Speaking ahead of his UFC Perth return on May 2, Della Maddalena took full responsibility for the performance that ended his 18-fight winning streak.
“No excuses. He was the better man,” Della Maddalena told Australian MMA. “Obviously, what went wrong was being stuck on my back for 25 minutes.”
The Perth native admitted he failed to capitalize on escape opportunities during the UFC 322 bout with Makhachev. “Honestly, it was a bit of laziness, a bit of opportunities I didn’t pounce on,” he said.
Della Maddalena said his overly defensive mindset prevented him from taking the initiative when chances presented themselves. “I should’ve been more aggressive, not so defensively minded,” he explained.
Jack Della Maddalena Explains Disappointed Reaction During Islam Makhachev Fight https://t.co/wQoVw2uObu
— LowKickMMA.com (@LowKick_MMA) March 27, 2026
Explaining the Viral ‘Sad Face’
The Australian fighter also addressed a viral moment from the Makhachev fight that quickly became meme material across social media. His dejected expression during the bout caught widespread attention from fans.
“It was just a bit of disappointment,” Della Maddalena said. “Just not being able to do what I wanted to do, knowing I was having a poor performance.”
He added that the expression was simply frustration at his own underperformance. “Just not good enough on my part. That was it. The poker face was not on that night.”
Della Maddalena’s coach previously stated that the game plan wasn’t executed properly during the fight. The coach suggested that with the same strategy executed correctly, a rematch could produce different results.
Despite the lopsided nature of the loss, Della Maddalena said he isn’t feeling extra pressure heading into his homecoming fight. “Not really. It honestly feels like any other fight,” he said.
Looking Ahead to Carlos Prates
Della Maddalena will face Brazil’s Carlos Prates in the main event at RAC Arena in Perth. He described the matchup as an exciting striking contest between two top contenders.
“He’s a fan favourite for good reason,” Della Maddalena said of Prates. “I think it’s a good fight. Good striking battle against two of the top sort of contenders.”
The Australian remains confident in his abilities despite the setback against Makhachev. “I feel like I’ve got the skills to beat him. I feel like I can outclass him,” he said.
When asked if he still considers himself among the best welterweights in the world, Della Maddalena didn’t hesitate. “We’ll find out. I believe so. I believe so. But I think this May 2nd is going to show,” he said.
Della Maddalena has also expressed interest in a rematch with Makhachev down the line. “My goal is obviously to go back and get the world title back,” he said.
He acknowledged that earning another shot at the champion will require beating top contenders first. “I’d love to get a shot at Islam again; that’d be the dream. But obviously, Islam is at a different stage of his career. Hopefully, I can get to a point where he grants me the rematch,” Della Maddalena said.
The welterweight division currently features tough competition including Prates, Michael Morales, and Kamaru Usman. Della Maddalena will need to navigate this field to work his way back to a title opportunity.
