Red-hot Contender Series standout, Jack Della Maddalena, was poised for his breakout pay-per-view (PPV) performance at UFC 284 tonight (Sat., Feb. 11, 2023) before a proud sold-out hometown crowd inside RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.
Standing in the way of his career-defining mixed martial arts (MMA) moment: Randy Brown, winner of four consecutive fights and on the verge of a 170-pound Top 15 ranking.
Indeed, it was all teed up for Maddalena — who kicked off his career inside the Octagon with three first round finishes — to showcase his dynamic skills. And, when it mattered most, Maddalena delivered in spades, scoring his fourth straight first round finish (watch highlights).
Brown was clearly the much longer fighter, giving Maddalena some issues early as he tried to find his range. He targeted Brown’s lead leg as “Rude Boy” was firing up combinations upstairs. Nice front kick from Brown as Maddalena tried to cut off the cage. He finally trapped Brown in the corner around the two-minute mark and clipped him along the fence. Brown did a somersault as he slipped trying to escape the inbound onslaught, but Maddalena was all over him, drilling him with relentless hammer fists until Brown was forced to give up his back. And that’s all Maddalena needed to sink in a fight-ending rear-naked choke.
Maddalena is certainly breaking the mold, climbing the ladder quickly and putting the entire 170-pound division on notice.
And he’s just 26 years young.
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