Islam Makhachev vs Jack Della Maddalena fight date ‘leaked’ by Khabib Nurmagomedov

Khabib Nurmagomedov might have given away the event at which Islam Makhachev will challenge for the UFC welterweight title, as a fight with Jack Della Maddalena looms.

Makhachev relinquished the lightweight title in May with an eye on challenging for the welterweight belt, which Della Maddalena took from Belal Muhammad – one of Makhachev’s teammates – that same month.

And according to Khabib – one of Makhachev’s coaches and a close childhood friend of the Russian – Makhachev will take on “JDM” at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The UFC typically holds a pay-per-view at the legendary venue every November, and while it has not yet announced this year’s edition of the MSG fight card, it is expected to take place as usual. It could well prove to be UFC 322, with UFC 321 scheduled for 25 October in Abu Dhabi.

“They promise us,” Nurmagomedov, himself a former UFC lightweight champion, said at an event last weekend. He then seemed to turn to Makhachev’s manager Ali Abdelaziz, sat in the crowd, to say: “Be quiet, please.

“He’s now gonna be upset because I give information. But this is his deal with UFC; I don’t deal with UFC, this is his problem.

“But we have a deal with them. He’s gonna fight in Madison Square Garden, and they say yes.”

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Nurmagomedov, also managed by Abdelaziz, held the joint-record for most successful lightweight title defences in UFC history, at three, until Makhachev submitted Renato Moicano in January.

With that first-round finish, after Moicano replaced the injured Arman Tsarukyan on one day’s notice, Makhachev set a new record and established himself as the No 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC.

But the 33-year-old faces a stern test against Della Maddalena. The Australian, 28, has won 18 fights in a row since losing his first two MMA bouts, both in 2016.

He took the welterweight title from Muhammad with a unanimous-decision win, producing a clinic in striking to overcome the wrestling specialist.

He also demonstrated tremendous takedown defence against Muhammad and will likely need to do the same against Makhachev. That said, the Russian does not rely on wrestling as heavily as Muhammad does and Nurmagomedov did; his own striking skills have been pivotal to his success in recent years.

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“I think Maddalena is the toughest opponent in Islam’s career,” the retired Khabib told Adam Zubayraev in July. “That’s my opinion.

“Not Charles, no one else,” he added, referencing Makhachev’s submission of Oliveira to win the lightweight title in 2022. “None of those other fighters. That’s just my personal opinion.

“First of all, Maddalena is twice the size of Ilia [Topuria, the new lightweight champion, with whom Makhachev has been linked]. Taller, bigger, stronger legs, bigger frame. His boxing is just as good, and in grappling, he scrambles really well – if you’ve watched him.

“For me, if I were preparing Islam for either Ilia or Maddalena, I’d be more concerned – and am more concerned – about Maddalena.”