Makhachev vs Della Maddalena for welterweight title at UFC 322

Islam Makhachev will challenge welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena in the main event of UFC 322 on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The fight comes with high stakes: Makhachev, the former lightweight champion, is moving up to 170 pounds in pursuit of a second divisional title, while Della Maddalena makes his first defense after winning the belt earlier this year.

Makhachev relinquished the lightweight title months after Della Maddalena claimed the welterweight crown at UFC 315. The Dagestani enters UFC 322 on a 15-fight winning streak and with a record as one of the sport’s most successful lightweights, including four successful title defenses. Della Maddalena, an Australian who secured notable wins over Belal Muhammad and Gilbert Burns en route to the belt, will test the rising challenger’s durability and size.

In recent weeks Makhachev has drawn attention for a visible change in physique as he prepared for his welterweight debut. Training clips and public workouts showed him noticeably bulked up and wrestling on a beach while working grappling exchanges with partners. Those images prompted widespread reaction among fight fans, many...