Jack Della Maddalena, the former welterweight champ, just dropped a bombshell: he turned down a spot on the upcoming UFC Sydney card on February 7 at Afterpay Arena. This dude, who lost his 170lbs title to Islam Makhachev at UFC 322 in November 2025 and then got finished by Carlos Prates in the third round at UFC Perth, is clearly not messing around with his comeback. Fans were hyped for him to fight on home soil, but JDM has a different plan.
Why the Former Champ Is Hitting Pause
You’d think a chance to fight in Australia, with the whole crowd backing you, would be a no-brainer for Della Maddalena, especially after two tough losses. But he told Bedtime MMA that he felt the proposed timeline for the Sydney Fight Night card was just too short. He said, “I do like traveling for fights. It is obviously awesome fighting in Australia. You get the whole crowd backing. But I feel definitely less pressure fighting elsewhere.” He also added, “I didn’t want to get sucked in too early. My plan after the last fight was develop the skills, become a better martial artist, so I didn’t want to just jump just because of the location.” He didn’t want to just rush into another fight, even for a “sick” opportunity in Sydney. He wants to be *ready*.
A Return Worth Waiting For?
After that rough outing against Prates, Maddalena is all about improving his game, taking his time, and hitting the reset button. He’s aiming for an April or May 2027 return, saying he’s “just going to ride it out a bit, but ready to go April, May next year.” And honestly, you gotta respect that. He wants to give “the best performance for the fans, for the team.” Even though he hasn’t looked like the guy who beat Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 to grab that welterweight championship, he’s totally confident his best days are still ahead. “My best performances are in front of me, so this isn’t the end. This is just another speed bump, and we will be back,” he said. Remember, this is a guy who started his pro MMA career with two straight losses before going on an *eighteen-fight winning streak* to become a champion. He knows how to bounce back.
So, while we’re not seeing him in February, Della Maddalena is focused on getting back to top form. When he does step back into the Octagon, it’s gonna be a big deal. The fight world is already buzzing about potential matchups, with names like Shavkat Rakhmonov and Mike Malott floating around. It’ll be a long wait, but if JDM gets back to his championship ways, it’ll be worth every single second.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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