Jack Della Maddalena might have been defeated by Islam Makhachev for the welterweight title at UFC 322. Yet, the Aussie appears quite optimistic about his return. The former 170-pound champion is looking at a fight with Ilia Topuria and also offered a surprising opinion about a possible mega-fight between “El Matador” and a famous Dagestani fighter.

When it comes to brewing rivalries, Ilia Topuria stirred the pot massively after UFC 322’s main event. After Islam Makhachev defeated ‘JDM’ via unanimous decision, the lightweight champion called out both fighters without hesitation. On social media, the Georgian-Spaniard labeled the newly crowned 170-pound champ boring for his grappling-heavy performance at MSG, while advising the Aussie to sharpen his wrestling skills. Because of these tense events, JDM has started viewing Topuria as a potential future adversary and believes he can knock out ‘El Matador’ if they ever meet inside the Octagon. 

Jack Della Maddalena calls KO against Ilia Topuria, weighs in on Islam Makhachev superfight

“Me and Ilia? I reckon I would get him.” Jack Della Maddelana stated in a live stream with famous streamer Neon. 

Well, the Georgian-Spaniard vs the Aussie would have delivered a fantastic boxing masterclass inside the UFC cage. However, since Della Maddalena lost the title, the matchup now looks far from reality. What could still happen, though, is Ilia Topuria facing Islam Makhachev in a superfight. Last year, ‘El Matador’ called out the Dagestani juggernaut for a future White House clash. And Islam also expressed interest in the matchup. Recognizing that possibility, JDM shared his verdict on the potential showdown.

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“I think Islam wins. Ilia is good, I just reckon the size will be a lot,” the former 170-pound king said during a Neon interview.

That debate has raged ever since the Topuria vs Makhachev superfight started looking like a real possibility. ‘El Matador’ began as a featherweight champion before moving up to face the bigger names at lightweight, where he flattened Charles Oliveira at UFC 317. Still, many fans question whether he could repeat that magic against the Dagestani at 170 pounds, largely because of the size difference.

For the unversed, Makhachev’s coach, Javier Mendez, revealed that Islam could even move up to 185 pounds if he actually wanted. That alone offers a clear picture of the 170 lbs king’s physical stature. With that in mind, as Jack Della Maddalena weighed in on Islam’s potential matchup with Ilia Topuria, he also looked ahead and discussed possible opponents in his own division for his return.   

The Aussie lays out his welterweight options for UFC comeback

Jack Della Maddalena is currently taking some time off to process his recent loss to Islam Makhachev at Madison Square Garden. But the Aussie has already started taking steady steps toward his anticipated comeback. For his next outing, the former welterweight champion looks forward to a thrilling clash with Shavkat Rakhmonov. At the same time, ‘JDM’ remains open to facing other contenders like Michael Morales or Carlos Prates as well.

“I would love to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov. I’ve always wanted to fight him. But whether that happens or not, I don’t know. They will probably look to give him… I don’t know. Let’s see what happens. Otherwise, maybe like Michael Morales or Carlos Prates, one of those guys,” Della Maddalena said on the Neon stream.

These all shape up as exciting matchups for the former champion inside the Octagon. Still, a showdown with the undefeated Kazakh appears to be the most sought-after option, as fans want to see whether Rakhmonov remains just as lethal after returning from injury. Interestingly, ‘JDM’ seems to rule out Ian Garry and Kamaru Usman, possibly because he believes the UFC could line up one of them for a future fight against Islam.

That said, what do you think about Jack Della Maddalena’s return to the UFC? And who should he fight next? Let us know in the comments section below.