After 8 consecutive wins in the UFC, which included a welterweight championship, Jack Della Maddalena‘s run hit a sudden halt when Islam Makhachev handed him a setback in his first title defense attempt this past November.

He then looked to respond when the matchup against Carlos Prates surfaced. But the Brazilian flipped the fight when they met last Saturday, handing JDM the first stoppage loss of his UFC career. After the result sent shockwaves through Australia’s MMA circle, his team has addressed it publicly.

“We are all hurting today in different ways, but that’s the game we play,” Scrappy MMA’s Instagram Story read. “We will rebuild and come back stronger. Thank you to all (for) the messages of support.”

That response mirrored the tone from November, when Islam Makhachev had earlier dealt JDM his first UFC loss.

“I am more proud of Jack and the team today than ever before,” Head Coach Ben Vickers wrote on Instagram. “True, we didn’t get the marbles, but we dared to dream and took our shot. It hurts. It hurts like hell, but we aren’t defined by this sport; it’s just what we love to do.”

“We have felt all the support and love over the last couple weeks and decades, and it means the world. I love Jack and the Team and I love Scrappy MMA and our community. I’ll see you all on the mats as soon as I’m back in glorious P Town. And rest assured, this is the beginning, not the end!”

The impact of the result extended beyond Della Maddalena and reflected a difficult stretch for the camp.

On the same card at UFC Fight Night Perth, 33-year-old Tai Tuivasa also endured a tough outing. He dropped his seventh straight fight when unheralded Louie Sutherland secured a clear win in their heavyweight bout.

With both Della Maddalena and Tuivasa training at Scrappy MMA in Perth, Australia, the back-to-back setbacks weighed heavily on the well-regarded gym led by Ben Vickers.

For JDM, however, the setback carries immediate consequences.

Jack Della Maddalena stumbles as Carlos Prates gains ground

For a man who began his MMA career roughly a decade ago with two back-to-back losses, both inside the distance, Della Maddalena then put together an impressive 18-fight winning streak.

His career peaked when he outpointed former champion Belal Muhammad 12 months ago.

Now, the way Prates dismantled him in front of a home crowd could leave a lasting mark on both his trajectory and comeback path.

Meanwhile, his conqueror has shifted focus toward the welterweight belt, currently held by Islam Makhachev.

“I should be next,” he stated during the post-fight press conference. “Nobody beats two former champs on that really good way. They never do by knockout, and then I come there and make it look easy. I respect them; they are tough. But against Leon, against ‘JDM,’ I make it look easy. And I’m the next. Nobody did it. Of course you have Morales, but Morales didn’t fight a former champ. I beat two former champs. So, I will be the next.”

That claim adds another layer to the title picture. There is also a strong chance the opportunity to challenge Makhachev could go to Ian Machado Garry, the man who handed Prates his first UFC loss.

Still, the Brazilian remains confident, targeting a rematch with the Irishman and positioning himself for a title shot.