Jack Della Maddalena’s path to becoming a UFC champion began years earlier in Western Australia and was shaped by rugby, boxing and a thirst for competition passed down from his older brother.
Jack Della Maddalena’s UFC career
Della Maddalena grew up in Perth and played rugby from the age of eight through his school years before discovering martial arts in his early teens. His parents introduced him and his brother Josh to a boxing gym during pre-season as a fitness tool for rugby, but boxing became an obsession. When school rugby ended around the age of 18, the brothers made the full transition to MMA. He was against expectations, playing more songs https://nvcasino-pl.pl/pl.
Jack Della Maddalena arrived at UFC 270 in January 2022 with modest expectations, but still scored a first-round knockout against Pete Rodriguez that announced him as more than just another prospect from Australia. The Perth native needed just 2 minutes and 59 seconds to dismantle his opponent with a perfectly timed counterattack, setting the tone for what would become one of the most impressive welterweight runs in recent UFC history.
Five months after his debut, he faced the struggling Ramazan Emeev at UFC 275 in June 2022, catching him with body shots and earning a first-round TKO plus a Performance of the Night bonus. Danny Roberts fell again in the first round in November 2022, followed by a rear-naked choke submission by Randy Brown in the first round at UFC 284 in February 2023. These early fights established Della Maddalena’s signature approach: aggressive forward pressing, sharp boxing combinations and the ability to find openings no matter how opponents tried to defend.
Against Kevin Holland at UFC Fight Night in September 2023, Della Maddalena faced an unpredictable striker known for controlling fights on his terms, but the Australian controlled the pace and earned a split decision that many felt should have been unanimous. Seven months earlier UFC 299 in March 2024, Della Maddalena faced Gilbert Burns, the fourth-ranked welterweight and a man who wrestled with technical precision. Burns dominated the first two rounds, landing takedowns and controlling positions.
Going into the third round, two judges had Burns ahead 20-18, indicating the title window could close before Della Maddalena got his chance. In a reversal of fortunes typical of elite competitors, Burns attempted another takedown and was met with a flat knee to the face as Della Maddalena stood up. The Australian followed by brutal ground-and-pound, forcing referee Dan Miragliotta to intervene at 3:43 of the round. It was the win that took Della Maddalena from title potential to serious title threat
Timing and opportunity crossed paths UFC 315 in Montreal on May 10, 2025. Della Maddalena had taken a 14-month break from competition, raising questions about his readiness for the biggest fight of his career. Belal Muhammad, the reigning welterweight champion, had not tasted defeat since January 2019, a span of almost six years before taking this fight.
Muhammad brought superior wrestling credentials and a track record of controlled wins, but Della Maddalena’s boxing and footwork proved too sharp. Over five rounds, the Australian landed 200 significant strikes while demonstrating exceptional takedown defense that saw Muhammad allow just three takedowns in all five rounds, compared to the nine Muhammad secured against Leon Edwards in 2024. The judges scored the match 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46 in favor of Della Maddalena.
That win earned Della Maddalena a place in martial arts history, but it provided little respite. Islam Makhachev, the former undisputed UFC lightweight champion and pound-for-pound number one fighter, announced plans to move up to welterweight. Makhachev, who vacated his lightweight title in May 2025, had committed to challenging Mohammed had Mohammed retained his belt. With Mohammed dethroned, Makhachev turned around to challenge the new champion booked for UFC 322 on November 15, 2025 at Madison Square Garden.
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