Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports<\/a>.<\/p>\nWhat does each fighter\u2019s corner look like?<\/p>\n
Islam Makhachev comes into this one cornered by the almost mythical UFC legend that is Khabib Nurmagomedov, whose own famed career stretched 29 fights undefeated. As childhood neighbours in Dagestan, the pair were initially mentored by Khabib\u2019s father, while Islam also now spends large chunks of his time training out of California\u2019s American Kickboxing Academy under Javier Mendez. But Della? Well, his entire career has been overseen by a tattooed ball of English energy otherwise known as Ben Vickers. A coach, you should know, who also went viral during the champ\u2019s now infamous world title win upset against Belal Muhammad when, heading into the last round, he uttered the now immortal line: \u201cKeep pinging the c***\u201d. Heading Down Under 13 years ago and opening Scrappy MMA, Vickers is now proving integral in the rise and rise of Australia\u2019s newest UFC champion. The rest of the corner is brother Josh Della, fellow Scrappy coach Ryan Gray and Aussie grappling star Craig Jones.<\/p>\n
What impact will Australia\u2019s greatest fighting comedian, Craig Jones have?<\/p>\n
Apart from providing some of YouTube\u2019s most hilarious fight content, Jones is also famed for one of the most dangerous, and effective, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu games on the planet. Outstanding as a grappler, this 34-year-old Adelaide product has spent the best part of two months in camp with Della, and after also helping him take the title from Belal Muhammad. Aiding the cause, Jones has also twice been part of camps to bring down Makhachev with Alexander Volkanovski. And while Volk lost both, his showing in their first fight has provided something of a blueprint given he not only survived on the ground, but was at times laughing. Says Volk\u2019s head coach Joe Lopez: \u201cAgainst anyone who is a threat on the ground, Craig Jones is invaluable. Just the way he breaks things down. He takes you through every possible scenario. There are so many moves, then counter moves and you have to understand all of them. You need to make sure you don\u2019t only avoid Islam\u2019s first trap, but his second one. And Craig covers all that. He\u2019s incredibly clever at breaking things down, explaining them and how it all works.\u201d<\/p>\n
Islam Makhachev.Source: AFP<\/p>\n
So who wins the ground battle then?<\/p>\n
Undeniably, the advantage goes to Makhachev who has famously declared \u201cbrother, Australia doesn\u2019t have wrestling\u201d. When it comes to submissions, and finishes, the challenger is at a whole other level to anyone JDM has face before. But the fact Della has Jones in his corner, and has also had both Volk and Lopez fly into Perth for stints? It\u2019s huge. Elsewhere, UFC light heavyweight contender Carlos Ulberg says Della also boasts an \u201cunpredictable\u201d ground game which will go a long way to helping him secure the upset. \u201cJack\u2019s very unorthodox,\u201d Ulberg says, \u201cwith moves that people haven\u2019t seen before. And I do think his sharp boxing style, coupled with that unpredictable ground game can get him across the line.\u201d<\/p>\n
Most unique thing about Della\u2019s gym?<\/p>\n
Well, how about the fact its name derives from the Scooby Do cartoon? Gym owner Ben Vickers takes up the story. \u201cA group of us are in Spain, stag do, when a big fight kicks off,\u201d he laughs. \u201cNothing to do with me, right. But I\u2019ve gone to run in, like a wanker does, when one of my big mates actually picks me up by the collar, and all while my legs are still going 10 to the dozen. One of the boys goes, \u2018look it\u2019s Scrappy Doo \u2026 let me at him, let me at him\u2019. And the name stuck.\u201d So when Vickers arrived Down Under to open a gym, Scrappy MMA it was.<\/p>\n
Where is this fight being held?<\/p>\n
New York\u2019s famed fighting mecca, Madison Square Garden. Already MSG has proved a happy hunting ground for fellow Australians like George Kambosos, Cherneka Johnson, even WWE superstar Rhea Ripley. Another Aussie favourite Daniel Geale also bravely challenged Gennady Golovkin here. And now JDM plans to rock the joint just like ACDC previously. Coincidentally, Acca Dacca are also the band behind the champ\u2019s most recent UFC walkout track. Know too that Della is currently undefeated in all six fights Stateside, while also owning wins on the road in Canada, England and Singapore.<\/p>\n
Any other Aussies on the card?<\/p>\n
Absolutely, there is. Cody Haddon. A hyped bantamweight prospect from Perth, Haddon\u2019s exciting style is lifted from an outstanding amateur boxing career. Like Maddalena in the main event however, he will also start as the underdog against American knockout artist Malcolm Wellmaker. Undefeated in 10 fights, Wellmaker comes into this one boasting consecutive UFC knockout wins, both in the first round. It follows him also doing the same on Dana White\u2019s Contender Series. Haddon, however, comes with huge raps too. In nine professional fights, the 27-year-old has only lost once. And that was in a domestic classic against Steve Erceg, who has since gone to within one error of claiming the UFC flyweight crown. The Aussies are also now training partners.<\/p>\n
Cody Haddon of Australia secures a rear choke submission against Billy Brand in a bantamweight fight during Dana White’s Contender Series, season eight week two on August 20, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger\/Zuffa LLC)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
How does the card rate generally?<\/p>\n
Absolute belter. In the co-main, UFC flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko defends against Weili Zhang, who is herself moving up to chase more gold after reigning for three years over the strawweight division. Yet to get it done, the Chinese superstar will need to beat a women entering title fight No.14. Elsewhere on the main card you\u2019ve also got two welterweight crackers between Leon Edwards and Carlos Prates, plus Sean Brady versus Michael Morales.<\/p>\n
What are the bookies saying?<\/p>\n
While Maddalena may be the champion, and on a tear stretching 18 straight fights, Makhachev is the overwhelming $1.35 TAB favourite. Della meanwhile, is wound out wider than three bucks. Elsewhere, Makhachev is also shorter to win by submission ($2.45) than the champ is to win generally. But know that Della loves the underdog tag. Always has. Same as the Aussie boasts an incredible competitive streak that makes him custom made for challenges like this one. So as for how bad said streak gets? \u201cWell, try beating him at something,\u201d Vickers laughs of a charge continually challenging the team at everything from tennis and spike ball to Mario Kart. Anything he isn\u2019t good at? \u201cYeah,\u201d coach adds, \u201che\u2019s no good at not being good at things\u201d. For what it\u2019s worth, we\u2019ll be putting the kids\u2019 Christmas money on a $6 JDM KO.<\/p>\n
Where can we watch it?<\/p>\n
UFC 322 will be live on Main Event via Kayo Sports this Sunday, November 16 from 2pm AEDT. You can also catch the undercard, featuring Haddon, on ESPN via Kayo from 12 noon.<\/p>\n
FULL UFC 322 CARD<\/p>\n
Main card (from 2pm AEST Sunday)<\/p>\n
Jack Della Maddalena (c) vs. Islam Makhachev \u2014 welterweight title fight: <\/p>\n
Valentina Shevchenko (c) vs. Zhang Weili \u2014 women\u2019s flyweight title fight: <\/p>\n
Sean Brady vs. Michael Morales \u2014 welterweight <\/p>\n
Leon Edwards vs. Carlos Prates \u2014 welterweight<\/p>\n
Beneil Dariush vs. Benoit Saint-Denis \u2014 lightweight<\/p>\n
Preliminary card (from 12pm AEDT)<\/p>\n
Bo Nickal vs. Rodolfo Vieira \u2014 middleweight <\/p>\n
Roman Kopylov vs. Gregory Rodrigues \u2014 middleweight<\/p>\n
Erin Blanchfield vs. Tracy Cortez \u2014 women\u2019s flyweight<\/p>\n
Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Cody Haddon \u2014 bantamweight<\/p>\n
Early prelims (from 10am AEDT)<\/p>\n
Kyle Daukaus vs. Gerald Meerschaert – middleweight<\/p>\n
Pat Sabatini vs. Chepe Mariscal \u2014 featherweight<\/p>\n
Angela Hill vs. Fatima Kline \u2014 women\u2019s strawweight<\/p>\n
Baisangur Susurkaev vs. Eric McConico \u2014 middleweight<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Australia\u2019s Jack Della Maddalena will look to make history this Sunday when he defends his UFC welterweight crown…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":277280,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[570],"tags":[64,63,786,785,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-277279","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mma","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-fighting","11":"tag-mma","12":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277279","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=277279"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/277279\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/277280"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=277279"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=277279"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=277279"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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