Jack Della Maddalena has carved out a reputation as one of the middleweight division’s top anti-wrestling phenoms. The striker has handed elite grapplers serious setbacks, with big wins over Gilbert Burns and Belal Muhammad proving that he can dominate on the feet. However, those victories were just a prelude. Now, the real test is coming at UFC 322. Rising star Islam Makhachev steps into Madison Square Garden with one goal: to dethrone ‘JDM’ in a five-round war.

The former lightweight champion brings ruthless grappling, pinpoint precision, and a championship mindset—everything needed to challenge even the sharpest striker. Even though the odds heavily favor Islam Makhachev, despite the size difference in play, not everyone sees a clear path to victory.  In fact, a renowned voice challenges this view, offering a fresh take on the matchup. So, let’s take a closer look.

UFC 322 alert: Israel Adesanya’s coach breaks down the path to defeating Islam Makhachev

Islam Makhachev has carried the torch left by his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov—and then some. After Khabib walked away from the UFC, Makhachev stepped in, and since then, he has remained undefeated for nine years, consistently dominating opponents with a grappling-first approach. Trained under Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, he blends world-class Sambo with relentless wrestling and suffocating pressure. Now, heading into UFC 322, Makhachev is the clear fan favorite and heavy favorite to win.

Even so, not everyone is counting him out. In fact, former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya’s coach Eugene Bareman believes there are potential cracks in the armor. Speaking on Submission Radio, he said: “There’s a blueprint for beating him. He’s (Islam) been knocked out before, and Volkanovski has beaten him already, you know what I’m saying? People are going to come in the comments about that. But yeah, there’s a bit of a blueprint out there….you’ll find holes. What you have to do with Islam is get him in a position where he has to fight to win the round. That means he has to put two or three punches together.”

But the MMA world is sharply divided. American Kickboxing Academy coach Javier Mendez cautions against underestimating Makhachev’s striking, calling it ‘a whole different ballgame.’ He notes that over 11 years, Islam has quietly built a precise, underrated stand-up game and that many skilled strikers have struggled against it. Mendez has even studied JDM’s fight footage specifically to prepare Makhachev for this matchup.

Jack Della Maddalena vows to make a statement against Islam Makhachev

Few saw it coming, but Jack Della Maddalena shocked the UFC world at UFC 315, snapping Belal Muhammad’s 10-fight win streak and ending his brief run as champion. ‘JDM’s striking dominated the night, landing 178 significant strikes to neutralize Muhammad’s wrestling in a “Fight of the Night” performance, extending his own win streak to 18. The stage is now set for another defining showdown—this time against former lightweight king Islam Makhachev, with both fighters’ streaks on the line.

Jack Della Maddalena isn’t backing down. He recently made a bold claim about taking on Islam Makhachev, insisting the grappler’s striking is less dangerous than Muhammad’s. “I’m pretty confident I can get this one done,” he said, pointing to a game plan designed to defend Makhachev’s relentless takedowns. Referencing Alexander Volkanovski’s tight fight with Makhachev in Perth, Della Maddalena added, “I think Volk beat him… and I am going to take him out,” signaling a strategy to exploit openings in the Russian’s stand-up game with precise, punishing strikes.

With UFC 322 just months away, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Can Jack Della Maddalena topple Islam Makhachev and end nearly a decade of dominance? Share your thoughts below.