Georges St-Pierre recently shared his thoughts on the UFC welterweight title fight between Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev. The title fight headlines UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden tonight.
Many consider St-Pierre the greatest welterweight of all time. His view carries weight because he understands the division better than most. He broke down the fight and explained what many fans may overlook.
In an interview with Helen Yee Sports, St-Pierre highlighted several factors. He noted that Makhachev now moves up 15 pounds for his title fight with Della Maddalena. This shift requires an adjustment.
“There’s a lot of factors to take into consideration,” St-Pierre said. “When you move up in weight and you’re trying to put on muscle mass, when you fight, especially the first time, [Makhachev’s] probable going to feel like he’s fighting with a backpack because you carry more weight. Your body is not used to it.”
St-Pierre suggested that Della Maddalena may gain an advantage if it reaches the championship rounds.
“If the fight goes into deep water, it might favor ‘JDM’ because of that. Islam might get tired,” St-Pierre said. “However, I think if the fight is one-way and total domination, it’s because [Makhachev] managed to put ‘JDM’ down with superior grappling skills to finish him.”
Georges St-Pierre Praises Jack Della Maddalena as a Tough Challenge for Islam Makhachev
Georges St-Pierre also praised Jack Della Maddalena and called him a serious challenge for Islam Makhachev. He pointed out the areas of ‘JDM’s style that make him a real threat.
Many fans have focused on Makhachev’s plan to become the latest two-division UFC champion. However, ‘Rush’ urged fans not to overlook Della Maddalena.
St-Pierre believes ‘JDM’ deserves far more respect from the MMA community. Della Maddalena pressures his opponents with sharp striking. That style could be difficult to deal with, especially later into a fight.
“If [Makhachev] wins, he’s going to become a member of a very select club in mixed martial arts,” St-Pierre told Helen Yee Sports. “It’s gonna be a tough fight. I feel that [Della Maddalena] does not have the respect that he deserves, I don’t know why. Even in his last fight, he was the underdog. And I think that he’s a lot better than people give him credit for.”
St-Pierre praised Della Maddalena’s style and even compared it to one of his past rivals.
“[Della Maddalena’s] style makes me sort of like a Nick Diaz. Very in your face type of guy, forward pressure, relentless, very craft ground game, very hard to hold down.”
St-Pierre Discusses Makhachev’s Place on UFC Pound-for-Pound Rankings
St-Pierre also weighed in on the current UFC pound-for-pound debate. He believes a win at welterweight strengthens Makhachev’s claim as the clear No. 1 fighter.
Speaking with journalist Helen Yee, St-Pierre acknowledged Makhachev as the true No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter. He said the Dagestani already holds a record-setting reign at lightweight. A second title would only add to his legacy.
“I would put [Makhachev] in the pound-for-pound because of the competition he has faced in his weight class. Now he’s attempting something very different,” St-Pierre said. “If he [wins]it will solidify his place as the [No. 1] pound-for-pound right now.”
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