"He makes me think of Nick Diaz" - Georges St-Pierre dissects Jack Della Maddalena’s style ahead of UFC 322 showdown with Islam Makhachev

Georges St-Pierre recently dissected the UFC 322 main event showdown between Jack Della Maddalena and Islam Makhachev.

St-Pierre focused first on Makhachev’s move to welterweight and explained that the added weight can influence pace and comfort during long fights. He believes that if the bout stretches into the later rounds, Della Maddalena’s conditioning and steady pressure could become a factor.

St-Pierre also said that he believes Della Maddalena is underrated. He highlighted the consistency in the champion’s work and the way he manages exchanges without rushing or forcing openings. The former UFC two-division champion compared the Aussie's fighting style to that of fellow UFC icon Nick Diaz.

Previewing the clash in a recent interview with Helen Yee, St-Pierre said:

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"Islam is moving up in weight. When you move up in weight and you’re trying to put on muscle mass, when you fight, especially the first time, he’s probably gonna feel like he’s fighting with a backpack because you carry more weight, so your body is not used to it. So if the fight goes into the deep waters, it might favor 'JDM' because of that. Islam might get tired. However, I think if the fight is a one-way fight and a total domination, it’s because Islam Makhachev managed to put 'JDM' down with the superior grappling skill to finish him. That’s the two ways I can see this fight finish tomorrow.”

He added:

"I feel that 'JDM' does not have the respect that he deserves. I don’t know why people, even in his last fight in Montreal, he was the underdog. I think he’s a lot better than what people give him credit for. I’m a big fan of his style. He makes me think of a little bit of a Nick Diaz, like very in-your-face type of guy, forward pressure, relentless, very crafty ground game, very hard to hold down, and it’s a very similar style.”

Check out Georges St-Pierre's comments below:

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Alexander Volkanovski outlines Jack Della Maddalena’s key to beating Islam Makhachev

Alexander Volkanovski expects Jack Della Maddalena to lean on his movement and pressure to avoid long grappling sequences that play into Islam Makhachev’s strengths.

Volkanovski notes that Della Maddalena’s scrambling can help him stay upright. However, he feels sustained grappling will only tilt control toward Makhachev. Previewing the matchup on his YouTube channel, 'The Great' said:

"Jack's great on the ground, but we don't want it to go to the ground. Even though Jack's good there, that's Islam's world. That’s all he does, 24/7, since he was walking. He probably started wrestling before he started walking. That's how long these guys have been doing this for. Do we want to go there? Be OK with the scrambles if you're comfortable enough in the scrambles, and keep that urgency, and use your weight... Obviously, I was able to tire him from all them little scrambles. Can Jack be effective where he can burn him there?"

Edited by Abhishek Nambiar