For many years, Islam Makhachev remained undefeated in the lightweight division. After securing the title, the athlete has written his name into the history of sports. However, Makhachev decided not to stop on this achievement and accepted a new challenge. This year, he vacated the lightweight champion belt to fight in his first welterweight contest. The duel with Della Maddalena is scheduled to take place on November 16 at Madison Square Garden, and this event will determine whether the Russian fighter can extend his legacy.
Della Maddalena: The Champion Makhachev Will Try to Beat
Before evaluating the actual chances of Islam Makhachev receiving the coveted title, it’s important to understand who his opponent is. Della Maddalena became the division champion after defeating Belal Muhammed earlier in 2025. The fighter was quickly gaining success in welterweight, and many American bookies for UK punters mark him as a favourite in the contest against Makhachev. The Russian athlete has shown strong performance in lightweight, but he shouldn’t underestimate his rival’s strengths.
Della Maddalena is confident in his striking ability and mentioned that he doesn’t want to leave the fight’s outcome up to the judges. The Australian fighter has an aggressive style, and he’s pretty confident that he will quickly win this battle. However, he has never met an opponent like Makhachev, who maintains the balance between improving striking abilities and wrestling talents. Maddalena will definitely need to find a strategy that will help him keep the fight dangerous and quickly neutralise his rival. But will he be able to do it?
Makhachev’s Potential to Cement His Legend
Grappling mastery is among the main strengths of the Russian fighter: he can quickly take the opponent down and continue to attack without giving them even the smallest break. His methodical actions and the ability to always stick to the initial strategy brought numerous wins in the lightweight division. When the athlete is motivated to take a step ahead, he is actively working on sharper striking, creating more challenges for the rival beyond the clinch.
Makhachev is known for a high fighting IQ, as he never overcommits or gets reckless. The opportunity to become a champion in two divisions simultaneously is a powerful motivator for the fighter, so he is actively preparing for the contest by boosting the training duration, working on focus, and maintaining mental calmness under high pressure.
Challenges to Overcome in the Welterweight Division
Makhachev boasts a lot of wins in lightweight, but the transfer to the higher division is a challenge even for elite fighters. The athlete now focuses on physical adaptation, but improving timing and distance is also important. Della Maddalena has already been fighting in welterweight, so he objectively has better form and experience.
Makhachev needs to be confident that he won’t be out-muscled in the boxing ring. The Australian fighter is a dangerous opponent who can potentially catch Islam in transition and defeat him with powerful strikes. The welterweight requires extra mass, which brings significant challenges for the athlete who used to compete in a lighter division.
What Will the Victory Bring to Makhachev?
Maddalena is a strong rival, but Makhachev still has significant winning opportunities. The potential defeat of the Australian champion won’t only bring new honours to the list of the athlete’s trophies. Besides, Islam will get the chance to join the exclusive club of two-division winners, confirming that his dominance extends beyond one class. Khabib Nurmagomedov, his mentor, is another renowned Russian fighter, but he has never accepted such a challenge and ended his career in a single division.
Fans and boxing experts won’t forgive any mistakes. If the fighter leaves the ring defeated, the UFC will question his potential to compete in welterweight, which will eventually affect his reputation on the international scene. However, if Makhachev wins, he is projected to continue fighting at welterweight. Currently, the potential matchup with Ilia Topuria is rumoured, and a victory will definitely make these discussions more widespread.
Many people are confident that the Russian fighter has an evident edge over the Australian opponent and wait for this contest with great impatience. From his side, Makhachev continues to declare his ambitions and trains hard, as there is little time left before the historical event.
Final Insight
UFC 322 is the moment that defines the future of Islam Makhachev‘s career as the lightweight champion, with massive ambitions of defeating the welterweight legend, Della Maddalena. The champion is a powerful opponent, so the challenge for the Russian athlete is evident. His elite grappling and strategic discipline are projected to give a competitive advantage, so Makhachev is really ambitious about extending his legacy to another division. The fight will take place in November at Madison Square Garden, and the historic event is expected to reshape the boxing world.
