#1 pound-for-pound fighter Islam Makhachev defeats Jack Della Maddalena in Welterweight title shot. He is now a double champ, after previous long reign at lightweight. Could Topuria be his ultimate challenge?

Very different fighting style

After dominating the lightweight division, Islam Makhachev made a move that sparked reactions. He moves up to welterweight, claiming he no longer faced real challenges. The 27-1-0 fighter then aimed for Australian Jack Della Maddalena’s (JDM) welterweight belt.

Their showdown headlined UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden, New York. In the opening rounds, Islam and JDM danced cautiously, each wary of a single strike that could end it all. Besides, wrapping up the round quickly is more effective.

”JDM dazzles with his striking, while Islam dominates on the ground, a clash of styles that made this battle between two elite fighters truly irresistible.”

Islam takes JDM to his world

Islam performed well in the following rounds. Almost every round, he managed a takedown whenever JDM let his guard down. Eventually, Islam dragged the reigning welterweight champion into a fight from which there was no escape.

By the fifth round, JDM was still trapped in Makhachev’s game plan. He barely landing any significant strikes throughout the match. As a result, Islam Makhachev was announced the winner by unanimous decision.

Topuria waiting?

After defeating JDM, UFC fans are eagerly anticipating Islam Makhachev’s next challenge. Many are waiting for a matchup with Ilia Topuria, who is now the UFC Lightweight Champion. The tension is further fueled by Topuria himself, who tweeted that Islam’s fighting style is very boring.

‘‘If Topuria and Makhachev do face each other, this could be the biggest UFC fight since Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor.”

UFC fans, what do you think?

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