Overview

• Dana White has confirmed the welterweight title fight will headline UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden.
• Robert Whittaker argues Jack Della Maddalena’s underappreciated jiu-jitsu could upend Islam Makhachev’s takedown-heavy approach.
• Della Maddalena claimed the belt by defeating Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 and has since worked extensively with Craig Jones, with April 2025 camp footage showing a D’Arce choke on the grappling ace.
• UFC flyweight contender Steve Erceg cites Makhachev’s competitive win over Dustin Poirier as evidence that JDM can stuff takedowns and win scrambles, with added danger from his size and power at 170.
• Makhachev, a 27–1 former lightweight champion with four successful defenses and elite takedown metrics, moves up seeking two-division status against a naturally larger champion.