Jack Della Maddalena admits his defensive mindset proved costly during his title defeat to Islam Makhachev, as the Aussie prepares for redemption against Carlos Prates in Perth this May.
The 29-year-old cop from Western Australia knows exactly where it all went wrong at Madison Square Garden. Makhachev’s wrestling masterclass lasted 19 minutes and 10 seconds of fight control, stripping Della Maddalena of his welterweight title on his first defence.
Della Maddalena’s Defensive Mindset Haunts Title Loss
“I think I was just too defensively minded, going in I was just thinking ‘defend, defend, defend’, rather than trying to get the attack going,” Della Maddalena revealed to ESPN. “Even when I was on the back, I feel like there were times where I did attack and then I was able to get back to my feet, but then the round had ended basically.”
The Australian fighter, once hailed by former middleweight champion Michael Bisping as having the “best boxing in the UFC”, acknowledges the Russian’s superiority on the night. However, seven months later, the hunger for revenge burns fierce.
Meanwhile, Makhachev continues his dominance with a staggering 28-1 career record, including a current 10-year, 16-fight UFC winning streak.
Perth Homecoming Against Carlos Prates
Nevertheless, Della Maddalena’s focus shifts to Brazilian knockout artist Carlos Prates on May 2. This marks historic territory for Australian MMA—the first UFC event in Perth with a Saturday night local timeslot, rather than the brutal 7am starts fans endured previously.
“The preparations are still difficult; obviously the Islam fight, honestly I spent so much time in that camp on my back in the same position I ended up in the fight itself,” he explained. “So, it was just a long camp of just getting wrestled by people. And now it’s definitely more of a camp of pushing the pace on the feet.”
Furthermore, the atmosphere promises to rival that electric night when Alexander Volkanovski nearly handed Makhachev his second career loss at UFC 284. Della Maddalena fought on that same card and witnessed the crowd’s intensity firsthand.
Redemption Path Against Dangerous Opposition
Despite his crushing defeat, the Aussie believes everyone remains beatable—including the seemingly unstoppable Makhachev. “I think anyone can win on any given night. A lot of it comes down to how you’re feeling on the night. I think he’s beatable, for sure.”
Prates represents immediate danger, though. The Brazilian has built a reputation for spectacular finishes during his UFC run, making this the perfect litmus test for Della Maddalena’s title aspirations.
“It’s a great fight, he’s an exciting top contender and he’s super dangerous,” Della Maddalena concluded. “I’m going to have to go in there super sharp. It’s an extremely tough, dangerous fight and an exciting one for the crowd.”
Tickets for UFC Fight Night Perth go on sale March 27.
