A former foe of Islam Makhachev believes he knows what Jack Della Maddalena can do to keep his title at the conclusion of UFC 322.
Makhachev will challenge Maddalena for the UFC Welterweight Championship on Saturday. This will be “JDM’s” first attempt at a successful title defense. Makhachev is moving up in weight after vacating the UFC Lightweight Championship.
One retired fan favorite knows what it’s like to share the Octagon with Makhachev. The two faced off in the main event of UFC 302 back in June 2024. Makhachev secured the fifth-round submission finish.
During an interview with MMAFighting.com, Poirier revealed what he thinks must happen for Maddalena to thwart the challenge of Makhachev.
“I’m excited for [Makhachev],” Poirier said. “He made history. He’s trying to continue making history. I’m going to be there in attendance with Bud Light for that event at Madison Square Garden, so [I’m] excited to see that in person.
“To pick a fighter in this one, I think both guys are great at certain things. It’s all going to come down to the takedown defense of JDM. If he can get back up to his feet, if he can use the fence, or stay off the fence, use his boxing, I think he definitely could give Islam a lot of troubles in the center of the octagon. He’s a great striker. He’s big and powerful.”
Maddalena showcased strong takedown defense in his welterweight title win over Belal Muhammad back in May. Muhammad struggled to find success in the grappling, allowing Maddalena to utilize his striking skills on the way to becoming the UFC Welterweight Champion.
BJPenn.com will keep you updated throughout UFC 322 fight week. Keep it locked on our homepage on Saturday for live coverage of the event, which will be taking place inside Madison Square Garden in New York City.