Following the conclusion of UFC 315 at Montreal’s Bell Centre, Australian sensation Jack Della Maddalena delivered a seismic shake-up in the welterweight division. Making the most of his first title shot, the 28-year-old Perth native showcased a clinical striking performance, and he didn’t just dethrone Belal Muhammad; He left the former champion visibly battered, marking a definitive statement in his rise to the top. Riding high off the victory, Jack Della Maddalena wasted no time in calling his shot.

With Islam Makhachev eyeing a move to 170 lbs, the top brass of the promotion need to act quickly. And that’s exactly what they did! During a phone call with Dana White, Hunter Campbell asked, “Makhachev next, right? In Perth,” prompting White to reply reassuringly, “We’ll get this figured out.” While the UFC has yet to make anything official, Islam Makhachev has already declared his intentions. “You are not Volk,” Makhachev tweeted after the new welterweight champion was given the belt. “I will show you [a] different level. Keep my belt clean.”  However, the Dagestani’s longtime coach, Javier Mendez, appears hesitant about one major condition that the Australian has imposed.

Maddalena wants to fight in his country! But that is a big no from Team Khabib… Speaking with Submission Radio, Mendez voiced his concerns about the long-distance travel from Russia or Dubai, emphasizing the toll it can take on fighters and teams. “No, it’s a no,” the coach said bluntly when the host pointed out the travel time to Australia could be around 34 hours and 30 minutes. That’s a lot!

The host then joked, “That would be a really nice first-class flight for the entire team, right? If that happens.” Having previously traveled to Australia with Islam Makhachev for UFC 284 in 2023, Mendez is well aware of the strain involved. He laughed too and responded, “Who cares if they decide to make us do that. I mean, that’s what it is. But, you know, let’s hope that the pound-for-pound number one gets to make a decision, where if that’s what they offer us, because, you know, he is still number one, and we don’t know what’s going on.” So it looks like Mendez and his team will, after all, go to Australia to chase Makhachev’s dream of domination in another division—something his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov never did.

“I do know for a fact that the welterweight title and having a legacy to win two titles is more attractive than any other fight that’s that’s available for him if they offer him that,” the coach added.

While Islam Makhachev emerged victorious at UFC 284, defeating one of the featherweight GOATs, Alexander Volkanovski, it was far from a walk in the park, especially in enemy territory. That five-round battle pushed the Dagestani champion to his limits, but he prevailed. Despite the travel concerns, ‘Team Khabib’ head coach Javier Mendez isn’t completely ruling out another fight in Australia. In fact, he sees something bigger in the works for his star pupil.

Does Islam Makhachev hold an edge over Jack Della Maddalena in Australia?

Islam Makhachev would have to cut a significant amount of weight while competing in the 155-pound division. His walk-around weight is rumored to hover around 180 pounds, making him a natural fit for the welterweight division, especially at 5’10”. However, if he faces Jack Della Maddalena, size could still be a factor, as the Aussie is visibly larger than the reigning lightweight champion.

With Islam Makhachev turning 34 this year, weight cutting is only getting tougher. That’s why a move up to welterweight makes more and more sense. And with a potential fight in Australia looming, he and his team appear more than ready, particularly because coach Javier Mendez sees a strategic edge that many fans might not know about.

And they intend to use that to their advantage! “I’m thinking, logically speaking, he has to cut less weight, and the recovery time is a lot less too. But if it is in Australia, we’ll need it, because in Australia, they only give you 24 hours to recover—it’s not 36 hours like everywhere else. So we’ll only have a 24-hour recovery. If that’s the case, it’s fantastic. I don’t know if that’s going to be an advantage because of that reason, but if it’s anywhere else where it’s the 36-hour plus, then it’s a nice advantage for Islam to recover quicker.”

Maddalena versus Makhachev will be interesting to watch. After all, Muhammad’s wrestling didn’t do much damage to the Australian. So Islam Makhachev might have to come up with an unusual game plan. With nothing officially announced, what do you think is next for Islam Makhachev? Should Dana White and the UFC give him an immediate title shot at welterweight Jack Della Maddalena, or does he need to earn it by beating a top contender first? Share your opinion below!