Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev: Muhammad Mokaev Breaks Down the Fight
Former UFC flyweight contender Muhammad Mokaev has given his thoughts on how the fight between Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev could play out at UFC 322.
On Saturday night, Jack Della Maddalena will defend his UFC welterweight championship against Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC 322. A lot of fans, pundits and fighters are torn regarding which way the fight is going to swing, but most people agree that Islam’s wrestling is going to cause JDM significant problems – especially if he’s able to start working in some submission attempts on the ground, as he often tends to do.
Jack Della Maddalena, of course, isn’t going to be too concerned by the narratives being presented by the media. He knows what he is capable of achieving inside the cage, and he proved just how good he is when he defeated Belal Muhammad to win the belt in the first place. Alas, many would agree that Makhachev is a completely different animal, and it’ll be interesting to see how the Australian sensation navigates that at Madison Square Garden.
Muhammad Mokaev, someone who is hoping to make his return to the UFC sooner rather than later, was recently asked about his thoughts on how Jack Della Maddalena vs Islam Makhachev might unfold in New York City.
Muhammad Mokaev backs Islam Makhachev for UFC 322 success
“I think Islam. I think Islam on the ground is much better. … I think Islam can beat him with D’Arce choke. … If you give that away to Islam, he will squeeze out—squeeze everything out of you. … He looks big. He looks big brother, strong. I think he is going to feel better in this division. I believe him because when you put so much weight you’re not going into cage 100%.”
Della Maddalena is as tough as they come at 170 pounds but if Makhachev can go in there and implement his game plan early, it could be a long night for the champion. In equal measure, it will be really interesting to see how the striking exchanges unfold if the challenger opts to keep it on the feet.
