Jack Della Maddalena’s path to UFC welterweight gold was practically derailed by one thing way more sinister than an opponent’s proper hand. After breaking his arm within the opening spherical of his March 2024 warfare with Gilbert Burns at UFC 299, Della Maddalena powered by means of the ache to attain a dramatic third-round knockout. The X-ray that adopted, his arm bent in methods nature by no means supposed however the actual hassle was simply starting.
Jack Della Maddalena’s Arm Damage
What ought to have been a routine restoration shortly spiraled right into a medical nightmare. In a current sit-down interview, the welterweight world champion defined:
“It was alleged to be easy—, damaged arm, plate in, 6 to 12 weeks. However then, after the surgical procedure, my arm was stinking. Took off the forged, and it was lined in yellow and blood. The surgeon opened it up, and the entire thing was splitting, oozing. He mentioned, ‘That is some kind of an infection.’
“4 surgical procedures later, we had been simply watching it intently, week by week, with X-rays to see if the bone would heal or disintegrate. There was undoubtedly an opportunity I may have misplaced my arm if the bone began to disintegrate. I didn’t even speak to them at that time about what was subsequent. I simply hoped it wouldn’t disintegrate.”
The an infection was relentless. Jack Della Maddalena endured 4 surgical procedures, with medical doctors compelled to take away contaminated tissue and even some bone. At one level, the wound erupted with pus proper within the surgeon’s workplace, and the medical workforce may solely monitor the arm week by week, hoping the bone wouldn’t quit totally. For a stretch, the prospect of combating once more took a again seat to a extra primary hope: protecting his arm connected.
UFC 315
In some way, Jack Della Maddalena not solely saved his arm, however returned to the Octagon in Might 2025 at UFC 315. After a 12 months on the sidelines, he confronted welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in Montreal. The Aussie was all enterprise, outstriking the defending champ and stuffing takedown after takedown. The judges noticed it for Della Maddalena, making him the third Australian to assert a UFC title, and ending Muhammad’s six-year unbeaten run.
“It felt [expletive] good,” Della Maddalena mentioned afterwards, in all probability understating the reduction of getting each a championship belt and two working arms. He credited Muhammad’s strain however mentioned he at all times believed he may get the job completed, even after the medical ordeal that just about ended his profession.
Islam Makhachev
Now, the brand new champ’s subsequent take a look at is already looming. Jack Della Maddalena is ready to defend his title towards Islam Makhachev, the pound-for-pound king and light-weight champion shifting up in weight, motivated, Della Maddalena says, by an opportunity to avenge his good friend Alexander Volkanovski’s losses to Makhachev.
The Australian is relishing the problem, quipping, “I reckon he’s gonna underestimate me as nicely. I prefer it, for positive. But it surely doesn’t actually matter what he thinks, we’re gonna battle. I’m excited.”
