Jack Della Maddalena has been on a tear since his UFC debut at UFC 270. A 15-2 veteran of the game, the fan-favorite fighter currently sits at the #14 spot in the welterweight rankings. Maddalena is always on the prowl for a fight and has set his sights on a future target. The 27-year-old issued a bold callout to the dark horse of the 170 lbs division, Shavkat Rakhmonov, in a move that surprised many. But why does he want a fighter that the rest of the division is avoiding?

Recently, at the sidelines of a pre-fight press conference, Maddalena had a short interview with journalist Aaron Bronsteter. In that conversation, he shed light upon his desire to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov and what appealed to him about fighting ‘Nomad.’

Jack Della Maddalena wants all the heat: “Shavkat would be a good fight”

The 27-year-old fighter is prepared to take on Kevin Holland this Saturday; by no means an easy challenge. Holland should be Maddalena’s only concern right now. But the 5-0 UFC star could not help but eye a potential future super fight. Aaron Bronsteter asked him during their conversation if there was anyone among the top nine welterweight fighters who interested him.

Maddalena replied, “I think all will be a fun fight. I think Shavkat would be a good fight. I would like to test myself against him, I think I can beat him.” He seemed enthusiastic to face Shavkat Rakhmonov.

Bronsteter was surprised by Maddalena’s response and said Maddalena might be one of the first people to challenge Shavkat Rakhmonov. He further asked Maddalena why he found Rakhmonov interesting.

Answering Bronsteter’s question, Maddalena stated, “Just the challenge. I want to challenge myself. I wanna fight the best possible people and I think he is outside the champion and I think he might be the guy.”

He is not wrong in his assumption about Rakhmonov. The undefeated Kazakh star has a 17-0 record with a 5-0 streak in the UFC. He currently sits at the #6 spot and could very well be another win away from a title shot. But his fighting Maddalena will be an interesting clash of parallels.

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Both superstars currently boast a 5-0 UFC run. However, Rakhmonov did it over three years after debuting in 2020, while Maddalena did all that damage in almost half that time. The 26-year-old has some catching up to do before meeting the #6 ranked ‘Nomad.’ And if he is to do that, he will have to avoid performances like the one he pulled against Bassil Hafez in July.

What to expect from Della Maddalena at UFC Noche?

Jack Della Maddalena faced extensive criticism following his fight against Bassil Hafez in July for various reasons. Despite being closely favored, Della Maddalena struggled to steady a split selection victory, tarnishing his popularity as a future welterweight contender.

Critics were puzzled about his combat IQ due to questionable choices, together with a couple of unsuccessful tries at a guillotine choke. Additionally, issues arose about his grappling skills as Hafez secured several takedowns, though Della Maddalena successfully defended most of them.

In the upcoming bout, Della Maddalena is slated to cross paths with Kevin Holland, who recently secured a swift victory via submission against Michael Chiesa at UFC 291. Although Holland’s prior performance failed to impress Della Maddalena, he regards him as a formidable adversary, characterized by an enigmatic combat style.

While the precise nature of Holland’s approach remains uncertain, Della Maddalena remains steadfast in his preparation, ready to confront this challenge headlong. He acknowledges that triumphing over Holland holds the potential to elevate his standings within the rankings, potentially paving the way for a showdown with one of the division’s premier contenders.

Do you think he should face Rakhmonov if he achieves a victory over Kevin Holland?

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