UFC CEO, Dana White, has been warned against allotting soon-to-be former lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, an immediate title fight at the welterweight limit against Jack Della Maddalena.
Makhachev, who is set to vacate his lightweight crown at the end of next month, will have his title on the line in the main event of UFC 317. And competing for that very belt is his long-time rival, Ilia Topuria. Set to make his sophomore divisional outing, the Spaniard will take on former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira in a vacant title fight.
However, Makhachev hasn’t vacated the title yet and would only abide if the promotion granted him a welterweight move next.
While newly minted welterweight champion Della Maddalena has welcomed a pairing with the Russian, some other contenders have expressed their concerns.
Namely, incoming UFC Atlanta headliner, Joaquin Buckley, is less than happy, as he plans his own title siege with a win over ex-champion Kamaru Usman.
“Compared to some of the welterweight fighters, he (Islam Makhachev) matches up very well,” Joaquin Buckley told Inside Fighting.
“With his strong grappling, his strong submission game, you know. Being able to be somewhat competent on the feet. He’s gonna give a lot of guys a lot of issues,” he contends.
However, there is a but that succeeds the compliment.
“With all the things I’ve been working toward, I don’t think there’s anybody who should be put ahead of me. Even in the welterweight roster. Especially somebody that is moving up to welterweight,“ Buckley complained.
Notably, Buckley’s demands are not dissimilar to what Islam himself had asserted when Topuria had moved to the lightweight division and asked for a title shot right off the bat.
But as mentioned above, Della Maddalena himself has long wanted to fight the pound-for-pound number 1 fighter in the world. And to boot, the Aussie certainly fancies his chances.
Della Maddalena predicts a win over Makhachev
Tasked with handing the Russian his first loss since a 2015 knockout defeat to Adriano Martins, Della Maddalena remains up to the challenge.
Immediately eyeing a super fight with the pound-for-pound number one, the Sydney native claimed he has the tools on the feet to dispatch Makhachev when they inevitably share the Octagon this annum.
“I think that was sort of what they were thinking was, if I won, that would be the matchup,” Della Maddalena told ESPN of the immediate discussions around his first title defense.
“And I think that’s what they’re going to go with, I’m excited for the matchup, obviously,” he revealed.
JDM believes that he can force the Dagestani champion to fight on his feet, and if the fight does hit the ground, he has enough confidence in his skills to get back up.
“But I think the fight obviously starts on the feet,” Della Maddalena said, confidently noting, “I think I’ve got him covered on the feet. The striking department is dangerous, but I think I’ve got the skills to be the better man on the night.”
