Former UFC title contender Stephen Thompson has some choice words for the lightweight champion Islam Makhachev after the talks of the dominant Dagestani-Russian going to face the newly minted welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena, who dethroned Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 in an absolute thriller of a main event.
In an interview with Submission Radio, the “Wonderboy” went on to say that it will not be an easy night for Islam Makhachev as he is facing one of the best strikers who has beaten the strongest grapplers the welterweight division has to offer.
“I think Islam is going to have a tough time. Now, do I think he could get it done? Yes, I think he’s that good of a grappler, but JDM has faced some of the best welterweight grapplers and wrestlers in the division-Belal being one of them. I think it’s going to be a tough night for him.”
“I think it’s going to be a tough night for him.“
Stephen Thompson has had many showdowns with top grapplers like Rory MacDonald, Tyrone Woodley, and Gilbert Burns, so his insight into this fight for Islam Makhachev is not unfounded. He has also been on the wrong end of being out-grappled, particularly against former champion Belal Muhammad, who gave Thompson one of the most one-sided losses in the elite striker’s career.
Islam Makhachev has a chance to dethrone a dangerously complete Aussie in Jack Della Maddalena.
What often makes the russian caucus fighters and many Eastern European fighters great isn’t their particular specialization, it’s their complete well-roundedness, as all of the Dagestani-Russians across all promotions are excellent in all skill sets. They are well-versed in multiple forms of grappling, not just wrestling, as with Jack Della Maddalen, a fighter whose grappling has leveled up dramatically since he had a hard fight against a short-notice wrestler in Bassil Hafez. It’s been a phenomenal transformation as a complete mixed martial artist for the Aussie champion, not just a heavy-handed boxer.
As for Islam Makhachev a large and very complete lightweight, this will be likely the first time in his UFC career where he will be drastically outsized and outgunned, the toughest test yet for the lightweight champion.
