The Australian Welterweight prospect isn’t interested in leaving “Sin City” until he’s competed on a UFC card.
Jack Della Maddalena hasn’t given up on getting a fight in before leaving Las Vegas.
The rising Australian prospect was set to face Sean Brady at UFC 290 in a Welterweight battle with serious implications for the 170-pound rankings. That fight got scrapped one week out after Brady contracted a bad case of staph in his elbow (see pics here … if you dare).
UFC lined up a replacement fight against promotional newcomer, Josiah Harrell, only to have that fight fall out the day of weigh-ins (details here). Pre-fight medicals had discovered Harrell was suffering from a rare brain disease, and this early detection may have saved his life.
That’s good for Harrell! Not so good for Della Maddalena, who was once again left without an opponent. Reports had him continuing to try and rope in a new opponent right up until the moment UFC pulled him off the card.
“JDM” even tried to fight ranked Middleweight, Chris Curtis (No. 15):
You guys gotta lay off JDM. I threw my hat in the ring and the man accepted within an hour. Wasn’t him saying no guys. JDM is a gangster
— Chris Curtis The Action Man (@Actionman513) July 8, 2023
Now, he doesn’t want to leave “Sin City” without getting a fight in.
“Very glad this fight with Josiah did not go forward, I hope his medical issues are cleared up,” he wrote on Instagram. “I came to Vegas to fight so I am pushing for a fight next week, I want to perform for my people.”
UFC President, Dana White, reacted positively to the idea.
“I love that,” White said at UFC 290’s post-fight press conference. “First of all, you know how I feel about that kind of stuff. Yeah, I love it. We’ll see. I love it.”
Next week’s card is UFC Vegas 77: “Holm vs. Bueno Silva,” which will take place inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. And Della Maddalena would certainly spice the event up a little. Aside from the main event, there’s no other fighters ranked in the Top 10 on the card.
Not that “JDM” would change that — he’s currently ranked No. 14 at Welterweight. And based on what we’ve seen thus far, that’s definitely just a temporary situation.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 77 fight card and rumors click here.