Australian Jack Della Maddalena crushed in UFC title defence

Australian Jack Della Maddalena should return to the drafting board after his first UFC title defence resulted in a crushing loss to modern-day nice Islam Makhachev at Madison Sq. Backyard.

Makhachev, who vacated his light-weight crown to rise to welterweight, entered the bout on a 15-fight profitable streak and trying to grow to be a two-division champion.

Della Maddalena was assured he might struggle his approach out of Makhachev’s grappling prowess, however it was not the case in entrance of a packed New York crowd.

Makhachev took Della Maddalena down in every of the 5 rounds, with greater than 18 minutes of the 25-minute struggle leading to Makhachev dominating his opponent on the canvas.

Though Della Maddalena fought onerous to keep away from being submitted, he needed to depend on the bell on quite a few events to get out of the grapple.

All 5 judges scored the bout 50-45 in a unanimous determination, with Makhachev changing into simply the eleventh fighter in UFC historical past to say titles in two totally different divisions.

“It is a dream. All my life for these two belts. I am actually pleased,” Makhachev mentioned.

“My life has modified. No reducing weight, 5 rounds nonstop I can wrestle. I make this evening really easy.

“Jack’s probably the greatest on this sport, one of many hardest opponents. That is why I ready so onerous — to make this simple.

“I attempted to do some chokes, however he defends it very properly. However I made this simple as a result of I skilled so onerous.”

With Makhachev strongly indicating his choice to remain at welterweight in a bid to dominate the division, Della Maddalena should considerably increase his grappling-escape strategies if he’s to have any probability of profitable a rematch down the observe.

Makhachev (28-1) was barely hit all through the struggle and wanted simply 70 seconds to earn his first takedown.

All 5 judges scored the bout 50-45 in a unanimous determination in favour of the Russian. (AP: Yuki Iwamura)

It meant Della Maddalena (18-3) needed to scrap for survival for nearly 4 minutes till the round-one bell saved him, with the 29-year-old handed a foul for a late kick.

Della Maddalena made a mistake early within the second when his try and throw Makhachev resulted in one other takedown, forcing one other lengthy, exhausting scrap for survival.

Makhachev’s calf kicks early every spherical began to take a toll on Della Maddalena within the third, with the Russian persevering with to regulate issues in the identical method for the remainder of the competition.

Della Maddalena did properly every time to keep away from a submission.

However together with his proper leg in tatters and having no solutions to Makhachev’s grappling, the West Australian was barely in a position to hearth a shot.