It would be unwise to write Jack Della Maddalena off ahead of his UFC 322 title clash with the imperious Islam Makhachev. That’s according to a former opponent of the reigning welterweight champion.
Della Maddalena will defend his UFC crown for the first time on Saturday when he takes on Makhachev, who moves up to 170lb after a dominant run as the king of lightweights. The Dagestani 33-year-old, who is arguably the pound-for-pound best in the sport, looked near-unbeatable as champion and boasts a resume that includes title-fight victories over Charles Oliveira, Alexander Volkanovski and Dustin Poirier.
