The UFC welterweight division is set for a massive showdown as champion Jack Della Maddalena takes on former lightweight champ Islam Makhachev at UFC 322. UFC CEO Dana White announced the fight on Instagram on August 28, 2025, confirming it as the main event for November 15 at Madison Square Garden. This matchup pits Australia’s knockout specialist against Dagestan’s grappling ace in a fight that could reshape the UFC’s elite rankings.
Ben Vickers, Della Maddalena’s head coach, spoke with Submission Radio about the bout, which Khabib Nurmagomedov had hinted at earlier. Now that it’s official, the team is fully focused on preparing for Makhachev’s unique challenge.
Preparing with a Grappling Specialist
To counter Makhachev’s world-class wrestling, Della Maddalena is bringing in Australian jiu-jitsu expert Craig Jones for his training camp. Jones, set to host his Craig Jones Invitational event on August 30-31, 2025, will join the team in Perth for two months afterward. This extended training period is a big step up from the short time Jones spent with them before Della Maddalena’s title-winning fight against Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 in May 2025.
Jones’s grappling expertise helped Della Maddalena shut down Muhammad’s takedowns in that bout. The team believes Jones’s skills give them an edge against Makhachev. In training, Della Maddalena has matched up well against Jones, even sharing techniques, which has boosted confidence.
Epic fights in The World’s Most Famous Arena ‼️
Jack Della Maddalena vs @MakhachevMMA 🏆@BulletValentina vs Zhang Weili 🏆@Leon_EdwardsMMA vs @TheNightmare170
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Coach Vickers on the Fight and Training Plans
Ben Vickers, Della Maddalena’s head coach, shared insights with Submission Radio about the matchup and their preparation.
“I think it’s been the worst kept secret in MMA,” Vickers said of the UFC 322 main event. “Khabib [Nurmagomedov] came out a while back and basically announced the fight for the UFC. It’s nice that it’s finally officially announced so we can start making official plans.”
Vickers outlined their focus.
“Obviously, we’ve been training since the Belal fight for Islam, but now we can really pick up some steam and start making plans to get to New York,” he said. On Jones’s role, he added, “Craig’s coming in. He’s got CJI and then after that, he’s gonna come to Perth for a bit and hang with us for a couple of months, and we’re really gonna sharpen up the grappling side of things.”
Vickers emphasized Jones’s value.
“Craig’s a better grappler than Islam is, so we have the guy there that we need,” he continued. “If Jack can handle Craig — which he can, because I’ve watched it numerous times, and Craig says himself he picks things up from Jack. So the confidence Jack gets from having Craig, the second best grappler in the world, self confessed, in his camp at all times and helping. And he helped [Alexander Volkanovski] in that remarkable performance that Volk put in against Islam in their first fight.”
The longer training period is key.
“So we’re very confident in our team. Craig will be with us for a couple of months, which is awesome. Last time for Belal, we only had him for a couple of weeks. So I just think you’re gonna see an evolution in Jack’s game, and he’s gonna look even better,” Vickers said.
Islam Makhachev, 33, holds a 27-1 record with 18 finishes. He dominated the lightweight division, defending the title four times before moving to welterweight. His 2023 fights against Volkanovski showcased his skill but also areas Della Maddalena’s team hopes to exploit. Makhachev’s wrestling and improved striking make him a tough test at 170 pounds.
