Mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar Islam Makhachev will take a shot at winning his first title in the welterweight division when he takes on reigning champion Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322.
Makhachev’s last UFC fight was in January when he defeated Renato Moicano by submission to successfully defend his lightweight title belt, which he first won in 2022.
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Four months later, the Russian fighter vacated the lightweight title and boldly announced his decision to move up a weight class and challenge Australia’s Della Maddalena in one of the most eagerly awaited UFC fights on the 2025 calendar.
Here’s what you need to know about UFC 322:
When does the UFC 322 fight start?
- The Della Maddalena-Makhachev main event will be held on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
- The five-fight main card is scheduled to begin at 10pm (03:00 GMT on Sunday) with the ring walk for the Della Maddalena-Makhachev bout not expected before 11:30pm (04:30 GMT on Sunday).
- The four-fight preliminary card begins at 8pm (01:00 GMT on Sunday).
Why did Makhachev switch from lightweight to welterweight?
Makhachev, a four-time defending lightweight champion, vacated the belt in May to move up to the welterweight classification.
The Russian told ESPN that it was difficult to cut weight for the 155lb (70kg) lightweight class and it affected his performance and recovery.
“My life changed when I changed the weight division. All my life, I had to think about what I eat. … Now I can eat whatever I want and smile.”
“At 155lb, it is so difficult. … Now, I am very excited to see how I feel in the cage,” he said.
Della Maddalena vs Makhachev – a contrast in fighting styles
Della Maddalena is a disciple of Brazilian jujitsu and trains under the renowned Australian coach Ben Vickers. Not surprisingly, Della Maddalena excels at powerful yet accurate punching and kicking to the body and face. He is a lethal striker on the counterattack.
Vickers, in a recent interview with Fox Sports, insisted his charger will silence the many doubters who believe Makhachev and his trademark grappling-wrestling background will prove too much for the Australian.
“He’ll just keep on turning up to beat whoever you put in front of him,” Vickers said.
“He’s just taken Belal Muhammad’s streak. Next, he’ll take Islam’s streak. Then it will be [fellow welterweight contender] Shavkat Rakhmonov’s streak. He’ll take them all.”
Makhachev’s trademark style – which has been honed under the tutelage of legendary ex-UFC competitor Khabib Nurmagomedov – is built on a world class wrestling and grappling foundation. He is also an underrated striker of opponents.
His superb ground-and-pound attack, which he asserts after gaining top control, wears down his opponents and frequently results in submissions.
Islam Makhachev asserts control over Dustin Poirier on the canvas during UFC 302 in Newark, New Jersey, on June 2, 2024 [Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports via Reuters]
Della Maddalena-Makhachev: What are the betting odds?
Della Maddalena will start as a heavy underdog against Makhachev with the bookmakers.
The odds have Makhachev marked as the -275 favourite at Bet MGM in the United States with Della Maddalena at +225.
Similarly, bookmakers outside the US have the Russian priced at $1.36 for the victory with Della Maddalena a long shot for the win at $3.25, according to Bet365.
Will Donald Trump attend the fight?
At this stage, it is unknown whether US President Donald Trump will attend UFC 322 in the city where he was born and spent most of his life.
Trump attended the last major UFC event in the area – UFC 316 – on June 7 in Newark, New Jersey, just across the Hudson River from New York.
The 79-year-old’s association with the UFC dates back to 2001 when he hosted two events in New Jersey.
If Makhachev beats Della Maddalena, will he fight Topuria?
Ilia Topuria and Makhachev, ranked number 1 and number 2 on ESPN’s pound-for-pound rankings, are widely considered the top MMA fighters in the world, and Topuria has already said he would move up another weight class to face Makhachev at the 170lb (77kg) welterweight limit if the Russian beats Della Maddalena.
Both fighters have agreed that if the bout occurs, then the much-hyped UFC event at the White House in June would be the ideal venue for staging what would be considered the biggest box office UFC contest since the memorable Nurmagomedov-Conor McGregor confrontation in 2018.
“I saw the [Charles Oliveira] fight; [Topuria,] he’s good,” Makhachev told ESPN. “I have a good fight now, and I know [Topuria] is going to fight soon, and we’ll see what’s gonna happen. He wants to fight at the White House, and I also want to be there. I know the UFC wants to do some big fight in the White House. Which fight is going to be bigger than this?”
The UFC has not announced any fights for the White House event although Trump has said it would take place on June 14.
UFC lightweight title holder Ilia Topuria might be the next challenger for Makhachev if he can take the welterweight title from Della Maddalena at Madison Square Garden [File: Aldara Zarraoa/WireImage via Getty Images]
Who is Islam Makhachev?
- The 34-year-old fighter from the Dagestan region of Russia is one of the biggest names in MMA thanks to his three-year undefeated streak as the UFC lightweight champion.
- A protege and close friend of UFC legend Nurmagomedov, whose father, Abdulmanap, trained both Dagestani men, Makhachev made his MMA debut in 2011 and signed his first contract with the UFC three years later.
- The southpaw is renowned for his strong grappling skills and an impressive striking accuracy (59 percent) with a reach of 70 inches (178cm). During his more than decade-long career in the UFC, Makhachev has established himself as a legend in the lightweight division, having successfully defended his belt on four occasions.
- Makhachev, who recently vacated the UFC lightweight title to move up, is on an incredible run of 15 straight UFC wins dating back to October 3, 2015, when he lost the only professional fight of his MMA career against Adriano Martins of Brazil.
Islam Makhachev will be the favourite heading into Saturday’s blockbuster clash against Della Maddalena [File: Per Haljestam-USA Today Sports via Reuters]
Who is Jack Della Maddalena?
- Maddalena, also known by his initials JDM, is from Perth, Australia, and is a black belt in Brazilian jujitsu.
- He stands 5ft, 11 inches tall (1.8 metres) and his current fighting weight is listed at 77kg (170lb).
- He is undefeated in 18 straight MMA fights dating back to May 28, 2016.
- The 29-year-old became the new UFC welterweight champion at UFC 315 on May 10 when he upset Muhammad at Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.
- He will be making his first UFC title defence on Saturday against Makhachev.
Jack Della Maddalena, right, strikes Belal Muhammad during their welterweight title bout at the UFC 315 event at Bell Centre in Montreal on May 10, 2025 [Alexis Aubin/AFP]
What has Makhachev said about the fight?
Saturday’s fight will be Makhachev’s sixth title fight in a row but first as a challenger. In an ESPN interview on October 27, the Russian broke down the Australian’s strengths and weaknesses.
“I watched all his fights. He is good. His striking is good. His boxing is very good, you know. His wrestling not so good but he is good on the ground. He know how to defend, how to escape, how to get up, you know. He has good skills on the ground also. … His striking is really good. That’s why he is one of the best in the world right now.”
On moving up a weight class to fight Della Maddalena:
“He is not like some guy who has crazy power. … I don’t think Jack has more than me.”
On Nurmagomedov’s pre-fight message to him:
“It’s not a secret. He told me: ‘Take him down.’”
“I think I can finish him on the ground – choke him, do an arm bar or something. I saw his skills are good on the ground. They are good – but I have something more.”
What has Della Maddalena said about the fight?
The welterweight champ claims his grappling proficiency in the octagon will surprise Makhachev:
“Probably in his mind, he thinks he’ll take me down, immobilise me or even finish me. But I have enough level to surprise him on the ground: strength, technique and defences that we’ve been working on constantly. When he plays at his highest level, I’ll be able to destabilise him. The key is to stay calm. People underestimate how disconcerting it can be for someone to be serene and focused. I think a large part of the fight will be standing, and that’s where I can surprise him,” said Della Maddalena on Mainevent TV.
Della Maddalena on Makhachev moving up a weight class to fight him:
“I think it’s good for him to move up. It was obviously a big wake-up for him. He is obviously getting bigger, growing. I think it’s a good move for him. I just think it’s bad timing,” he said on the New York Post Sports podcast.
Della Maddalena will defend his welterweight title for the first time on November 15 [File: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images via AFP]
What’s Makhachev’s fight record?
- Fights: 28
- Wins: 27
- Loss: 1
- Knockouts: 5 wins, 1 loss
- Submission: 13 wins
- Decision: 9 wins
What’s Della Maddalena’s fight record?
- Fights: 20
- Wins: 18
- Losses: 2
- Knockouts: 12 wins, 1 loss
- Submission: 2 wins, 1 loss
- Decision: 4 wins
Stat Attack
- Makhachev – number of days since his last defeat: 3,697 (October 3, 2015, to November 15)
- Della Maddalena – number of days since his last defeat: 3,461 (May 28, 2016, to November 15)
Valentina Shevchenko, right, will defend her flyweight title at UFC 322 [File: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images via AFP]
Who is fighting in the co-main event at UFC 322?
In Saturday’s penultimate bout at UFC 322, women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko of Kyrgyzstan will defend her title against China’s Zhang Weili in the co-main event.
Zhang, a former strawweight titleholder, vacated her belt and moved up a division to fight Shevchenko in what promises to be a fascinating contest between two of the biggest female stars in the UFC.
What’s the full fight card for UFC 322?
Main card (10pm start | 03:00 GMT on Sunday):
- Della Maddalena (Australia) vs Makhachev (Russia) – title bout
- Shevchenko (Kyrgyzstan) vs Zhang (China) – title bout
- Sean Brady (US) vs Michael Morales (Ecuador) – welterweight
- Leon Edwards (United Kingdom) vs Carlos Prates (Brazil) – welterweight
- Beneil Dariush (US) vs Benoit Saint Denis (France) – lightweight
Preliminary card (8pm start | 01:00 GMT on Sunday):
- Bo Nickal (US) vs Rodolfo Vieira (Brazil) – middleweight
- Roman Kopylov (Russia) vs Gregory Rodrigues (Brazil) – middleweight
- Erin Blanchfield (US) vs Tracy Cortez (US) – women’s flyweight
- Malcolm Wellmaker (US) vs Cody Haddon (Australia) – bantamweight
How to watch UFC 322
Al Jazeera Sport will have a live build-up and text commentary stream for the fight from 01:00 GMT on Sunday.
UFC 322 is a pay-per-view event and will be shown by various online streaming services, including ESPN+ in the US, DAZN, Amazon Prime Video and TNT Sports.
