Jack Della Maddalena’s welterweight title reign came to a sharp halt at UFC 322, and his head coach Ben Vickers has now addressed the setback for the first time.
Maddalena entered his first UFC title defense riding an 18-fight winning streak, including dominant wins over Belal Muhammad, Gilbert Burns and Kevin Holland. But on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, Islam Makhachev completely shut him down. The lightweight champion moved up, wrestled at will, and controlled Maddalena for more than 19 minutes in a grappling-heavy performance that left the Aussie looking lost inside the cage.
Maddalena landed only 30 total strikes in five rounds. He sat on the stool between rounds, visibly frustrated, while his corner tried to keep him motivated, but Makhachev’s pressure and suffocating top game never let him breathe. By the final horn, the result was clear: a lopsided unanimous decision and the end of Maddalena’s short title reign.
Since UFC 322, Maddalena hasn’t posted on social media, but his team didn’t stay silent. In a heartfelt Instagram message, Ben Vickers opened up about the loss, the journey, and what comes next.
“I am more proud of Jack and the team today than ever before,” Vickers wrote. “True, we didn’t get the marbles but we dared to dream and took our shot. It hurts. It hurts like hell, but we aren’t defined by this sport, it’s just what we love to do.
“We have felt all the support and love over the last couple weeks and decades and it means the world. I love Jack and the team and I love Scrappy MMA and our community. I’ll see you all on the mats as soon as I’m back in glorious P Town. And rest assured, this is the beginning, not the end!”
Makhachev didn’t get the finish he chased, but he delivered a statement win as he became the 11th fighter in UFC history to take titles in two divisions. For Maddalena, the loss marks his first defeat since the early days of his career, snapping a remarkable run that carried him through eight straight UFC victories.
The road back to the welterweight title is now longer and more complicated, especially in a stacked division. But if there’s one message that came through clearly from Ben Vickers, it’s that Maddalena isn’t done, not even close.
He’ll regroup, rebuild, and return in 2025 looking to remind the division why he held gold in the first place.
