In one of the most anticipated bouts of UFC 322, former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev will face welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena on November 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Israel Adesanya, former middleweight champion, offered a strong prediction: “I don’t want to bury Islam, but Jack will be a problem. Islam will be forced to strike, and when he does, he could get hurt. Jack has the skills to neutralize his game and keep the fight standing until the finish.”
Despite Makhachev’s recent weight gain, Della Maddalena has a natural size advantage and is one of UFC’s most dangerous strikers. His ability to recover against grapplers, as shown against Belal Muhammad and Gilbert Burns, could be decisive.
Key questions for this matchup:
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Can Della Maddalena truly impose his striking and aim for a knockout?
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How will the weight and physicality differences affect the fight dynamics?
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Will Makhachev’s ground game be sufficient to turn the tide?
According to Adesanya, the fight could end in a KO as early as the second round, setting the stage for an electrifying night for MMA fans worldwide.
