Ian Machado Garry Slams Jack Della Maddalena “Weak” Performance Against Islam Makhachev
Ian Machado Garry wasted no time firing criticism at Jack Della Maddalena following his championship loss at UFC 322. The welterweight contender took to social media just hours after Islam Makhachev dominated Della Maddalena at Madison Square Garden to claim the 170-pound title. Garry’s message was brutal and direct, particularly focused on Della Maddalena’s preparation leading into the bout.
Ian Machado Garry Takes Shot at Jack Della Maddalena’s UFC 322 Title Loss
“One of the weakest title defenses in UFC history. Your prep looked non existent,” Garry posted on X, accompanying his remarks with an image of M&Ms and a caption about sending “m&ms and commiserations” to the fallen champion. The comments struck at the heart of what many observers considered a one-sided performance by Della Maddalena against Makhachev on November 15, 2025.
Makhachev controlled the entire fight from bell to bell, securing a unanimous decision victory with all three judges scoring the bout 50-45. The Russia-born fighter accumulated 19 minutes and 10 seconds of control time across the five-round championship fight, more than 76 percent of the entire contest. Della Maddalena found himself on his back for most of the fight, unable to establish any rhythm on the feet or successfully defend against Makhachev’s relentless grappling. Strike numbers tell much of the story: Makhachev landed 140 strikes out of 188 attempts, while Della Maddalena landed only 30 of his 74 strikes.
Former fighters serving as analysts on ESPN’s post-fight show echoed concerns about Della Maddalena’s performance. Chael Sonnen noted that after 10 minutes of fighting, Della Maddalena hadn’t thrown a punch yet and had only thrown 31 total punches through the 20-minute mark. Anthony Smith questioned Della Maddalena’s ability to scramble back to his feet and pointed out that the champion seemed content to simply hold position rather than forcing Makhachev to work harder for control.
Della Maddalena had previously captured the welterweight title by defeating Belal Muhammad via unanimous decision at UFC 315 in May 2025, making his first title defense against Makhachev. The Australian fighter possessed the tools many considered capable of giving Makhachev trouble, elite striking ability, boxing background, and blackbelt-level jiu-jitsu credentials. His scrambling ability had been a hallmark of his career. Yet none of those advantages materialized at the Garden.
Makhachev became only the 11th fighter to win UFC championships at multiple weight classes and tied Anderson Silva’s 16-consecutive-fight UFC record with the victory. The pound-for-pound king now sits at welterweight and has already indicated interest in facing multiple potential challengers, with former champion Kamaru Usman mentioned as a priority opponent.
Garry, meanwhile, prepares for his own crucial matchup against Muhammad on November 22 at UFC Qatar, just six days after Makhachev’s title capture. The victory at UFC 322 sets the stage for a welterweight division in flux, with multiple contenders, including Garry, Michael Morales, Carlos Prates, and undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov, looking to position themselves for a title shot.
