Dan Hooker is confident that Jack Della Maddalena has what it takes to overcome Islam Makhachev.
Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) will attempt to make the first defense of the welterweight title he captured earlier this year by outpointing Belal Muhammad at UFC 315, when he faces Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) in the main event of UFC 322 later this month.
With Makhachev set to make his debut at 170 pounds after vacating the lightweight title he held since 2022, the biggest question heading into the fight is how the Dagestani will perform in a new weight class, and Hooker believes he could struggle if the fight goes into deep waters.
“I think Jack, just because of the size advantage, the later it goes,” Hooker told Sky Sports when asked for his prediction on who will emerge victorious at New York’s Madison Square Garden on November 15. ”That's the thing. Being the bigger, stronger guy, it's effective if you can make the other fighter carry your weight. Jack being the bigger guy, I feel like the longer that the fight goes, Islam's not used to carrying that same amount of weight into deep waters.”
After losing the first two fights of his professional career, “JDM” has since won 18 bouts in a row, and his impressive showing over 25 minutes during his title win in May cemented his position as one of the best fighters in the world. Hooker believes that Della Maddalena will have enough to get past Makhachev at MSG, and that the Australian’s size should prove advantageous.
“I feel like just Jack's frame and size will give him the advantage if it goes later into the fight. Islam Makhachev is an incredibly smart fighter. On the feet, he's very hard to hit. He doesn't like getting hit at all. And then he's also very conservative on the ground. He's a very hard guy to start putting some damage on. But Jack Della (Maddalena), I feel like there's no one better than him right now at welterweight. And I see him winning this fight.”
