Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has shared his thoughts on a potential fight between lightweight king Islam Makhachev and welterweight contender Jack Della Maddalena.
Whittaker speculated on Makhachev`s likely strategy, stating, “Islam will use Belal’s tactics in the fight with Jack, but he will do it better. Much better.” He then posed a critical question regarding Della Maddalena`s striking ability against Makhachev: “But there’s a million-dollar question. If Volkanovski was able to hit Islam, then Della Maddalena can surely do it too.”
Analyzing Della Maddalena`s style, Whittaker pointed out his preference for fighting at close range and identified this as a potential vulnerability: “Jack likes to fight at close range, and that makes him vulnerable to takedowns.” Whittaker believes Makhachev holds a significant advantage in this area compared to Belal Muhammad. “And in this regard, Makhachev is much better than Muhammad,” he added, also emphasizing Makhachev`s overall tactical superiority. “Furthermore, Islam is stronger tactically.”
Despite breaking down these key aspects of a potential matchup, Whittaker admitted he couldn`t confidently predict the outcome. He concluded, “What does all this mean? I don’t have an answer.” Whittaker shared his analysis on the MMArcade podcast.
Gareth Tenby