Kamaru Usman Warns Jack Della Maddalena of Rude Awakening Once Islam Makhachev’s Fight Starts

Kamaru Usman talks about the upcoming title fight between Islam Makhachev and Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322.

Kamaru Usman Warns Jack Della Maddalena of Rude Awakening Once Islam Makhachev’s Fight Starts

Kamaru Usman shared his opinion on Islam Makhachev vs. Jack Della Maddalena (via X)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

Jack Della Maddalena will defend his welterweight title for the first time this Saturday in the UFC 322 main event. The Australian champion faces former pound-for-pound king Islam Makhachev, entering the octagon as the clear betting underdog for the bout. Despite the odds, JDM remains confident about securing a spectacular finish in front of the roaring Madison Square Garden crowd.

Ahead of the fight, Della Maddalena enlisted Alexander Volkanovski’s help, who had previously faced Islam Makhachev twice in memorable battles. JDM believes Volkanovski’s experience and insights will be crucial, as he aims to avenge the Australian veteran by defeating Makhachev decisively. 

Additionally, the champion has been training with BJJ master Craig Jones, refining his grappling transitions and improving defensive wrestling techniques. Former welterweight king Kamaru Usman weighed in, suggesting that all these detailed preparations could still crumble once the Octagon door closes.

We saw when [Dricus Du Plessis] was preparing for Khamzat Chimaev and he had 3 guys wrestling him and trying to get him down and he was having his ways with those guys. That doens’t really tell the story. You don’t know until you get in that fight and things start to play out. 

Kamaru Usman via Submission Radio 

Usman’s example of Dricus Du Plessis was adequate as the South African got dominated by Khamzat Chimaev for five rounds. DDP was unable to do anything as the ‘Borz’ controlled him for over 21 minutes and took a unanimous decision victory. While Makhachev’s wrestling is similar to Chimaev’s, the fighter tends to focus on finishing his opponents as soon as possible.

Apart from that, Makhachev has expressed a genuine interest in striking with opponents, confident he can successfully trade punches with Maddalena. The former lightweight champion has already proven his knockout power in previous bouts, establishing himself as a well-rounded threat. In preparation for the welterweight jump, Makhachev has gained significant muscle mass to improve overall strength. 

This enhanced physicality could allow the Dagestani fighter to dominate exchanges, blend striking with wrestling, and impose relentless pressure throughout the fight. It would be interesting to see how JDM and his team manage to overcome potentially the biggest challenge of their career. 

Islam Makhachev plans to beat Kamaru Usman’s welterweight record 

During his prime, Kamaru Usman was an unstoppable force in the welterweight division, dominating every opponent with relentless pressure. ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ combined elite cardio, technical striking, and physical strength to completely overwhelm challengers inside the Octagon. His reign as UFC welterweight champion included five successful title defenses, the most in division history, showcasing unmatched consistency.

Islam Makhachev wants to surpass Kamaru Usman's legacy
Islam Makhachev wants to surpass Kamaru Usman’s legacy (via X)

Usman’s victories over top contenders like Colby Covington, Jorge Masvidal, and Gilbert Burns solidified his legacy as one of the greatest champions. For UFC CEO Dana White, Usman is the best welterweight champion of all time; however, Makhachev wants to change that. In a recent interview, the Dagestani talked about breaking Usman’s record after becoming the new champion. 

I defend my belt more than everybody (in lightweight division). I want to do something more, not just become champion. To be like double champion is like dream for everybody. Second belt! Defend, maybe more than Kamaru and to become Hall of Fame. 

Islam Makhachev via UFC 

Islam Makhachev is now close to surpassing Kamaru Usman’s incredible fifteen-fight win streak and equaling Anderson Silva’s legendary record. Usman has praised Makhachev’s achievements, though he admits feeling bittersweet while watching the Dagestani dominate and rewrite UFC history.

Both fighters have expressed genuine interest in facing each other, recognizing the potential magnitude and legacy implications of such a bout. Fans eagerly await to see if this long-discussed showdown between Makhachev and Usman can materialize in the near future. 

Also Read: