\u2018I DIDN\u2019T DO ANYTHING\u2019: JDM\u2019s family almost caught up in wild UFC brawl<\/a><\/p>\n LIVE BLOG<\/p>\n Follow the latest updates from UFC 322 in our live blog below! Can\u2019t see it? Click here!<\/a><\/p>\n SHEVCHENKO\u2019S DOMINANT DISPLAY<\/p>\n In the co-main event, Superstar Valentina Shevchenko secured her ninth succesful title defence by adding to her Hall of Fame resume with a unanimous decision victory over Zhang Weili.<\/p>\n The Kyrgyz weapon dominated her opponent on the ground and fought a smart bout, grinding her way to victory.<\/p>\n With the win, Shevchenko retained her status as the No.1 ranked UFC Women\u2019s Pound-for-Pound fighter with Weili sitting in second and her five-fight win streak coming to an end.<\/p>\n \u201cShevchenko adding to her greatness,\u201d Jon Anik said.<\/p>\n Weili\u2019s biggest moment came with an elbow in Round 3, but otherwise the champion went untested.<\/p>\n HYPE TRAIN RE-ANNOUNCES HIMSELF WITH \u2018GREATEST EVER\u2019 PERFORMANCE<\/p>\n The main card delivered three-straight finishes, but it was Bo Nickal in the featured bout on the preliminary card that started off the fireworks as he executed a stunning head kick, downing Rodolfo Vieira in a performance coined his \u201cgreatest ever\u201d by UFC legend Daniel Cormer.<\/p>\n After putting in a mountain of work with his hands, Nickal had a look up top and connected in bone-rattling fashion with his opponent falling flat on the canvas.<\/p>\n \u201cBo Nickal lighting him up… man that was nasty,\u201d Cormier said.<\/p>\n \u201cStatement made tonight,\u201d Jon Anik added.<\/p>\n Nickal then made his feelings to the Madison Square Garden crowd clear, putting up his rude finger while celebrating.<\/p>\n The American\u2019s win comes after a loss to Reinier de Ridder in May, going down by knockout after a second round knee.<\/p>\n However, Joe Rogan believed he lived up to his \u201cunbelievable potential\u201d on Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n HUGE HEAD KICK KO! Nickal bounces back | 00:42<\/p>\n KNOCKOUTS GALORE ON THE MAIN CARD<\/p>\n Later, Carlos Prates lived up to his \u2018nightmare\u2019 moniker, destroying Leon Edwards in their welterweight bout with a lethal left straight.<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t see Leon Edwards go down like that,\u201d Cormier said.<\/p>\n The punch slotted straight through Edwards\u2019 guard, flattening him in ugly fashion in a dominant victory, with Prates making a statement for a title push.<\/p>\n Edwards DOWN! Prates delivers BRUTAL KO | 00:42<\/p>\n But what came next may hurt his chances, with Michael Morales knocking out number two contender Sean Brady with a nasty flurry of punches.<\/p>\n The American had no answer for the Ecuadorian who delivered a \u201chuge statement\u201d according to commentator Anik.<\/p>\n Prates looks likely to be leapfrogged by Morales, who could go on to fight the winner of Sunday\u2019s main event.<\/p>\n 16-SECOND KNOCKOUT STUNS<\/p>\n Earlier, Benoit Saint Denis kept the highlights coming as he delivered a 16-second knockout, dropping Beneil Dariush.<\/p>\n It was an overhand left that sent Dariush crashing to the canvas after he left his head open while attempting to clinch his opponent.<\/p>\n Saint Denis\u2019 effort was the sixth-fastest knockout in the history of the lightweight division and he gestured to his waist, hinting at a bid for the title in the future.<\/p>\n The victory was the sixteenth of the Frenchman\u2019s career, and he made it clear he wanted a shot at the belt post-fight.<\/p>\n \u201cI couldn\u2019t be more happy and priveleged to fight… you know what I am chasing for,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n ‘Stunning’ Morales scored R1 Knockout | 00:35<\/p>\n JDM BACKED BY UFC COLLEAGUES<\/p>\n Jack Della Maddalena is being heavily backed by the UFC roster to score a historic Madison Square Garden upset this Sunday \u2013 although a handful of fighters have warned the \u201cbasic\u201d Australian is set to be finished by Islam Makhachev.<\/p>\n Only six months after winning UFC welterweight gold in a huge upset, JDM is now looking to defend for the first time against Dagestani bogeyman Makhachev.<\/p>\n While the Perth native is currently the defending champion, and on a tear stretching nine years and 18 straight fights, bookmakers have already wound him wider than $3, while Makhachev sits at $1.45.<\/p>\n However when it comes to the predictions of the UFC roster, many are leaning towards the champ.<\/p>\n Speaking at UFC 322 media day, those backing JDM to retain included Beneil Dariush, Sean Brady, Carlos Prates, Michael Morales and Rodolfo Vieira.<\/p>\n Those picking Makhachev were Leon Edwards, Malcolm Wellmaker and Roman Kopylov, while UFC bantamweight star Sean O\u2019Malley also tipped the title to change hands on his Youtube Channel. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to go with Islam,\u201d O\u2019Malley said. \u201cI just think he\u2019s going to squeak out a close fight. I hate guessing fights, man. I hate guessing fights, but I\u2019m going to go with Islam.\u201d<\/p>\n Another backing against Maddalena is No.7 ranked welterweight Joaquin Buckley, who says Maddalena is set to be finished in the third, either via submission or TKO.<\/p>\n Home town hero secures submission | 00:39<\/p>\n \u201cJDM has massive knockout power, has excellent boxing, excellent striking — but that ain\u2019t going to mean nothing when you\u2019re on your back,\u201d Buckley said.<\/p>\n \u201cSo Islam, immediately, he\u2019s going to push him up against the cage, he\u2019s going to take him down to the canvas, and he\u2019s going to hold him there as long as he can.<\/p>\n \u201cBut you [also] know, Islam, he\u2019s not just going to hold you down and just wait for the decision.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a finisher.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd with the amount of weapons he has \u2013 the D\u2019Arce, the anaconda, the head-and-arm chokes \u2013 he\u2019s coming for that neck.<\/p>\n \u201cSo JDM, if he\u2019s unable to keep the fight from going to the ground, he\u2019s finished. He\u2019s done.\u201d<\/p>\n Speaking at media day in New York this week however, Dariush was among a large group of fighters backing the champ.<\/p>\n \u201cIf JDM comes in and is able to establish his fix like he did with Belal [Muhammad], and establish his range, I think he\u2019s going to be a really difficult fight for Makhachev,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd Makhachev adjusting to 170, might not be that easy.<\/p>\n \u201cI know it\u2019s easier to go up in weight, but adjusting isn\u2019t that simple. So I\u2019m going to lean JDM, although not by much.\u201d<\/p>\n Edwards, meanwhile, was giving the slight edge to Makhachev.<\/p>\n JDM eyes “blood and glory” in Title bout | 02:49<\/p>\n \u201cI keep on going back and forth,\u201d he started. \u201cIt depends on how Islam looks at 170, and if he comes out and heavy wrestle, I\u2019d probably give the edge to Islam. But I feel like we will know from the first round how the fight is going to go.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel if JDM does get taken down, it [won\u2019t be] his fight.<\/p>\n \u201cBut he is great at getting back to his feet and puts on a pace straight away. And Islam has shown cardo issues in the past. So I dunno, I\u2019m still 50\/50.\u201d<\/p>\n Elsewhere this week, others quoted backing JDM to retain via upset Michael Chandler, Chris Barnett and Mario Bautista. <\/p>\n Asked for his prediction on The Ariel Helwani Show, Chandler started of Maddalena: \u201cHe\u2019s not much of a puzzle. He\u2019s pretty basic.<\/p>\n \u201cBut he is brilliant and violent, and devastating with the basics.<\/p>\n \u201c[He has] a little bit of range, a little bit of reach on Islam.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be the dichotomy between JDM\u2019s great striking abilities and is his takedown defence enough to stop the onslaught of wrestling that Islam\u2019s going to bring?<\/p>\n \u201cI do think even the standup battle against (Dustin) Poirier, Poirier does hit hard because I\u2019ve witnessed that and felt it firsthand.<\/p>\n Jack Della Maddalena reacts following his win over Belal Muhammad.Source: AP<\/p>\n \u201cBut there\u2019s no way he hits as hard as JDM.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be interesting.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Islam\u2019s going to get tagged up a couple times, and we\u2019re going to see if he goes to that wrestling pretty quick.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I think JDM\u2019s a monster. I give JDM the slight nod on that one, but I also wouldn\u2019t be surprised if Islam is holding that belt.\u201d<\/p>\n Elsewhere, UFC heavyweight Chris Barnett was also quoted backing the champ.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Jack Della Maddalena gets the win,\u201d he said. \u201cWe saw Volk give Islam some problems, and I think Jack is similar and a lot bigger, so I think he can stuff the takedowns and control him on the feet.\u201d<\/p>\n UFC bantamweight Bautista added on BJ Penn.com: \u201cI\u2019m going to go with Jack to pull off the upset. I think the size will play a role.\u201d<\/p>\n Brady said: \u201cI was leaning Islam at first, but I do think JDM is gonna get it done. I think he creates enough scrambles. He\u2019s gonna get taken down, but I think he\u2019s gonna be able to get back to his feet and potentially knock out Islam.\u201d<\/p>\n BLANCHFIELD\u2019S SUBMISSION VICTORY<\/p>\n Erin Blanchfield has delivered an impressive submission victory, stopping Tracy Cortez with a rear-naked choke in the closing seconds of the second round.<\/p>\n In both her appearances at Madison Square Garden, Blanchfield has now won by submission and she was proud to be fighting on the same card as superstar Valentina Shevchenko.<\/p>\n Blanchfield has now avenged a loss earlier in her career to Cortez, with that pair fighting in the same weight class as the co-main event.<\/p>\n Cortez\u2019s record now sits at 12 wins and three losses, having also gone down to Rose Namajunas, a fighter Blanchfield bested in her most recent outing prior to this fight.<\/p>\n A fight for the title now looms for Blanchfield, depending on the result between Shevchenko and Zhang Weili.<\/p>\n BIG JDM PREDICTION<\/p>\n Jack Della Maddalena is being tipped to become \u201cthe biggest star of Australian sports\u201d with a win at UFC 322, and with Dana White almost certain to gift the knockabout champ a blockbuster Perth homecoming in victory.<\/p>\n The declaration comes as Australia\u2019s UFC welterweight champ has also promised to deliver \u201cblood and glory\u201d in Sunday\u2019s Madison Square Garden blockbuster against hyped Dagestani bogeyman Islam Makhachev. <\/p>\n Only six months after winning UFC welterweight gold in an upset against Belal Muhammad, JDM is now looking to double down in one of the toughest first up defences in Octagon history.<\/p>\n Despite being on an undefeated tear stretching nine years and 18 fights, Maddalena enters the New York headliner as a more than $3 underdog.<\/p>\n Makhachev, meanwhile, remains around $1.45 in what will be his first appearance since vacating the UFC lightweight crown.<\/p>\n However, following an intense final face off with Makhachev at the ceremonial weigh-ins — in which JDM immediately jumped into a fight stance after leaving the scales — the Aussie promised more was coming in the UFC 322 headliner.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going in there to impose my game plan, push the pace and dig deep,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m coming for blood and glory\u201d.<\/p>\n Asked what was said by Makhachev during their final showdown, the champ grinned: \u201cI don\u2019t even know what he said, I was just trying to keep him away from me \u2026 show him what\u2019s up, show him what he\u2019s going to be eating tomorrow night\u201d.<\/p>\n While JDM may be one of the UFC\u2019s most humble champions, the 29-year-old has been given the rockstar treatment here in New York this week \u2013 including having his image beamed large on a Times Square billboard. <\/p>\n Should Maddalena earn an MSG boilover, it is understood UFC executives have already discussed his next defence being on a huge 2026 pay-per-view event in Perth.<\/p>\n Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, UFC executive Peter Kloczko also tipped a \u2018Della\u2019 victory to catapult him up among national stars like Josh Giddey, Oscar Piastri, Sam Kerr, and Reece Walsh. <\/p>\n ULTIMATE GUIDE: Everything you need to know ahead of UFC 322<\/a><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/poster-fallback.png\"\/)
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