Jack Della Madalena believes that if it wasn’t for the courage of his brother, he might not have pursued a career in mixed martial arts.
Today, JDM sits at the top of the world, dominating the UFC’s welterweight division. Della Maddalena won the unanimous decision victory over Belal Muhammad in May, winning the 170-pound crown, setting the stage for a highly anticipated clash with former lightweight Islamic Makachev.
With a perfect 8-0 record inside the Octagon and the world titles are trapped in his waist, JDM runs high, but he thinks he wouldn’t have thought it was impossible if his brother hadn’t stepped into the cage first.
“I scream for my brother Josh,” JDM said in an interview at Perth’s eternal MMA 97. “He set me up to go on this journey. The first fight I saw was him. If he hadn’t come in here, I probably wouldn’t have complied. So he’s a man.”
Will Jack Della Madalena defend his title against Makachev in MSG?
Della Maddalena has not yet booked his first Welterweight Title Defense, but that means that he is already against Makhachev.
“Dagestani Destroyer” set the stage for one of the most anticipated clashes of the year, opening up a lightweight title shortly after JDM’s victory over Muhammad. No official date has been announced, but if Makhachev gets his wish, the two will be heading this year’s UFC card at the world’s most famous arena of the year.
“We asked UFC CEO Dana White if he had the opportunity to compete at Madison Square Garden,” Makhachev told MMA Junkie. “It’s an honor for me to compete in the biggest arenas of MMA and boxing.”