TLDR
- Israel Adesanya predicts Jack Della Maddalena will knock out Islam Makhachev at UFC 322 on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden
- Adesanya believes Makhachev will struggle to keep Della Maddalena down and will be forced to strike
- The former middleweight champion expects the fight to end by knockout in the second or third round
- Della Maddalena defends his welterweight title for the first time after defeating Belal Muhammad in May
- Makhachev is moving up from lightweight to challenge for the 170-pound belt, aiming to become a two-weight champion
Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has made a firm prediction for the UFC 322 main event. He believes Jack Della Maddalena will knock out Islam Makhachev when they meet Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Della Maddalena will defend his welterweight championship for the first time against Makhachev. The Australian fighter earned the title in May by defeating Belal Muhammad. He became the first West Australian to win a UFC championship.
Makhachev is moving up from lightweight where he was the former champion. He enters the fight with a 27-1 record and a 15-fight win streak. Many consider him the favorite to become a two-weight champion.
Adesanya shared his prediction on his YouTube channel. He acknowledged Makhachev’s skills but expressed confidence in Della Maddalena’s ability to get back up after takedowns. “I’m not trying to count Islam out, but I just know Jack,” Adesanya said.
The former champion explained his reasoning for the prediction. He believes Makhachev will be forced to stand and strike with Della Maddalena. “Islam’s going to be forced to strike, and when he’s forced to strike with Jack, he’s going to get hurt,” Adesanya stated.
Israel Adesanya predicts JDM will knock out Islam Makhachev 👀
🗣️ via @stylebender pic.twitter.com/aF0iYYkM9d
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) November 12, 2025
Wrestling vs. Striking
Adesanya expects Makhachev to secure takedowns during the fight. However, he doesn’t think the Dagestani fighter will be able to keep Della Maddalena down for long. “Islam will be able to get him down, but not for long,” Adesanya said.
The prediction centers on Della Maddalena’s takedown defense and ability to return to his feet. Adesanya referenced other fighters who have escaped Makhachev’s grappling control. He mentioned Dustin Poirier and Alexander Volkanovski as examples of fighters who had success defending against Makhachev’s submissions and takedowns.
Adesanya believes Della Maddalena’s striking will be the deciding factor. “I really think Jack Della Maddalena has the skills to stifle Islam’s game and just put it on the feet, and knock him out,” he said. He predicted the knockout could come in the second or third round.
Training and Preparation
Della Maddalena has been preparing with high-level training partners for this fight. He has worked with fellow Australian champion Alexander Volkanovski. He also trained with Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Craig Jones.
The 29-year-old Australian told The West Australian he’s been focusing on wrestling while not abandoning his striking strengths. He said he’s been put in difficult positions repeatedly during training camps. His goal is to lead the fight and implement his own game plan.
First faceoff in the Big Apple 🍎
🏆 Jack Della Maddalena vs @MAKHACHEVMMA
[ #VeChain #UFC322 | SAT NOV 15 | 📍 @EdgeNYC ] pic.twitter.com/TEcNjwq164
— UFC (@ufc) November 10, 2025
Della Maddalena expressed confidence about his chances. “I’m a young Aussie boy who is going to leave it all on the line out there, remain victorious,” he said. When asked how he plans to win, he stated: “Any strike to the head, the body, just break his will, break his face.”
Fans have reacted to Adesanya’s prediction on social media. The video clip has gained thousands of likes and hundreds of comments. Some fans questioned Adesanya’s analysis, pointing out that fighters’ predictions are often wrong. Others suggested Adesanya’s friendship with Della Maddalena influenced his prediction.
Some fans believe Makhachev’s wrestling will be too much for the welterweight champion. One person predicted an Islam submission victory in the second round. The fight represents one of the biggest matchups of the year in the UFC.
Makhachev carries a reputation as one of the best fighters in history. He trains under the guidance of Khabib Nurmagomedov. His grappling skills have dominated opponents at lightweight.
Della Maddalena holds an 18-2 record and has been on an impressive run. He has never been stopped in his career. The welterweight champion enters the fight as the betting underdog despite defending his title on home soil.
