After a stellar performance against Belal Muhammad, new UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena may already be staring down his next colossal challenge—none other than the reigning lightweight king, Islam Makhachev.
In a recent YouTube video, UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier didn’t hold back his praise: “He fought a wonderful fight. And now, he’s the UFC welterweight champion… but unfortunately for Jack Della, right away he gets Islam Makhachev.”
Cormier confirmed that UFC officials hinted at this matchup during the post-fight press conference. If Della Maddalena emerged victorious, Makhachev would move up to challenge for the welterweight belt—a superfight with pound-for-pound implications.
“This is an undefeated guy in the UFC,” DC added. “A guy who hasn’t lost in 18 straight fights… beating Belal Muhammad the way Jack Della did—that’s massive.”
While Belal’s wrestling posed a tough challenge, Makhachev’s Dagestani blend of Sambo and Jiu-Jitsu is another level. Still, Cormier believes if anyone can make waves in the pound-for-pound rankings, it’s ‘JDM’.
The clash of styles—Makhachev’s grappling mastery vs. Della Maddalena’s elite boxing—could make this one of the most compelling title fights in recent UFC history.
