Jack Della Maddalena’s coach, Ben Vickers, believes the former UFC welterweight champion has a real path to turning the tables on current titleholder Islam Makhachev.
A potential Jack Della Maddalena vs. Islam Makhachev rematch is already generating buzz, with Della Maddalena’s coach Ben Vickers saying his fighter has the tools to beat the reigning UFC champion if the matchup comes together at a future UFC 3XX card. Vickers made the comments this week in an interview with Southern Cross Combat, revisiting their first meeting from November, when Makhachev won a unanimous decision.
That result did not slow the confidence inside Della Maddalena’s camp. Vickers said the team believes Della Maddalena can solve the puzzle in a second fight, even after being controlled for long stretches the first time around. He also acknowledged the size of the challenge, calling Makhachev one of the greatest fighters the sport has seen and the kind of elite grappler every contender dreads.
The bigger picture matters here. If Della Maddalena can make real adjustments and win a rematch, it would shake up the title picture and immediately reset the pecking order around one of the UFC’s most talent-heavy divisions. If Makhachev wins again, especially in clearer fashion, he only adds to a résumé that already has him in pound-for-pound conversations across American MMA media.
For U.S. fans, the intrigue is simple: this is a classic striker-versus-grappler equation, but with much higher stakes because Della Maddalena would need to show he can survive early control and force extended boxing exchanges. That is the central narrative now. He does not just need to be tougher in the rematch; he needs to prove the first fight gave him answers rather than doubts.
Makhachev, meanwhile, would be defending more than a belt. He would be defending the idea that his pressure, control, and top-game remain the sport’s most reliable championship formula against elite opposition. Vickers is betting his fighter can break that formula next time. If this rematch gets booked, the real question will be whether Della Maddalena can keep the fight in his world long enough to change the ending.
