Jack Della Maddalena only needs one tool to defeat Islam Makhachev.
In May, Della Maddalena scored a unanimous decision victory over Belal Muhammad to claim the undisputed welterweight world championship. Immediately after, Makhachev announced that he was vacating his lightweight crown and moving up to be the first fighter to challenge ‘JDM’ for his 170-pound strap.
As it stands, the ‘Dagestani Destroyer’ is a sizeable favorite to defeat Della Maddalena, with some sportsbooks listing him as high as a 4-to-1 favorite.
However, not everyone agrees with those odds.
Looking ahead to the highly anticipated welterweight title tilt, former UFC star Chael Sonnen believes that the Aussie can beat Makhachev by utilizing one very specific maneuver.
“There’s only one move, which is a double leg,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel. “Now, there’s another position known as a body lock, and there are different options from there, and there’s ways to do it. I mean, just to ruin the great code of wrestling, if anybody ever puts you in a body lock and you don’t like it, you feel like they’re stronger there—all you need to do is unlock your hand and you’re no longer in a body lock.
“The suggestion that Jack Della Maddalena, our reigning champion of the world, can’t defend one technique, not to mention against a 155-pounder, it’s a tremendous insult—and it may be true—but if you go out there and you repeat that insult, you should realize how incredibly difficult it is for you to end up being correct.”
Thus far, no official announcement has been made, though recent rumors suggest that Della Maddalena vs. Makhachev will headline the UFC’s annual pit stop at Madison Square Garden in November.
