Jack Della Maddalena Fixes Crucial Mistake Ahead of Potential Mike Malott Bout

Jack Della Maddalena was riding on invincible momentum in the UFC before Dagestani ace Islam Makhachev turned things around. Another defeat not much later sent JDM to the whiteboard, and one blunder seems to have popped up.

Why Jack Della Maddalena Won't Rush His Comeback

Lightweight phenom Islam Makhachev clinched his second UFC belt in dominating fashion. A fight that went down to the wire, Makhachev made every round count, taking the welterweight champion to deep waters. JDM's first loss in nearly a decade made him frantic to return to the winning column. 

In hindsight, however, that desperation may have made matters worse.

Speaking with Bedtime MMA on Sunday, Maddalena opened up to the possibility of a clash with surging contender Mike Malott. 

“Yeah, for sure. I’ll be into that.”

While the Canadian threat remains in his sights, '3-Name Jack' won't throw it down inside the Octagon until spring next year. His reasoning? Maddalena feels he rushed his Carlos Prates showdown at UFC Perth, with only six months in between. Heading into the Malott fight, however, the 30-year-old wants to take no chances.

“I feel like the last one, I sort of just jumped into the Perth fight because I kinda had to. So I didn’t wanna get sucked in too early. My plan after the last fight was develop the skills, become a better martial artist. So I didn’t wanna get just jump to the location, you know?”

Maddalena is instead looking to sharpen his skills away from the spotlight to return to the cage in his best form. 

“I wanted to give the best performance for the fans, for the team. So just gonna ride it out a bit, but ready to go April, May next year.”

As he returns to the Octagon, Mike Malott may be the perfect opponent to propel him back into the title conversation.

Mike Malott Surfing On Massive Momentum After UFC Edmonton

The Niagara Top Team welterweight has recently chalked up a highlight-reel knockout over Joaquin Buckley, extending his streak to five straight wins. The UFC Edmonton victory came in the second round, putting Malott well on his way to challenge the division's best. 

Holding a near-perfect pro record (15-2-1), 'Proper' has UFC veterans like Kevin Holland and Gilbert Burns on his resume, highlighting his ability to perform even under pressure. Moreover, with 7 submission wins and 6 knockouts, Malott has more than one way to finish fights early.

No. 4-ranked Jack Della Maddalena could be the perfect next challenge for Mike Malott, if not for the clash in their timelines. Following his high-spirited KO on Oct. 18, the Canadian expressed his willingness to return to the cage as soon as January next year for the UFC 336 card.

However, if the fighters do agree on a date, both Maddalena and Malott have more at stake than just the victory.