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Every fighter in the upper reaches of the UFC rankings has their own unique path to the top. Few, however, begin their professional careers 0-2.
While many would have called it a day at that point, Jack Della Maddalena was undeterred, coming together with coach Ben Vickers to set a goal of 10 straight wins.
Fast forward five years, his 10th consecutive victory also earned the Western Australian a UFC contract, as he scored a dominant win over Ange Loosa on Dana White’s Contender Series.
MORE: ‘He hasn’t fought anybody like me’: Muhammad dismisses JDM ahead of UFC 315
With that goal achieved, JDM and Vickers came up with a new target - a UFC title.
Now, ahead of UFC 315 in Montreal this weekend, the Aussie is on the cusp of ticking off his greatest achievement yet, with welterweight champion Belal Muhammad the final hurdle to overcome.
“I think it was very important. Losing, obviously you learn a lot,” Della Maddalena told Sporting News of the inauspicious start to his pro career.
“You learn a lot about yourself, you make tweaks and you figure out what you needed to do to win.
“They were tough fights, I didn’t really have a big amateur career and just got thrown in there against good guys.
“If I had won those two fights and then just kept winning and then lost down the track, maybe I’d have lost motivation, but kicking off with those two losses, it was only uphill from there. I think they were blessings.”
Ahead of a maiden world title challenge, Della Maddalena’s record now stands at a far more formidable 17-2.
The 28-year-old may have to overcome some ring rust against Muhammad, having spent more than a year out of action after his comeback win over Gilbert Burns last March.
Della Maddalena broke his arm in that fight before surgery, infection and more surgeries sidelined him for several months.
MORE: How Della Maddalena's title shot could reshape future of UFC
That gave him the opportunity to have a close look at Muhammad’s title-winning victory over Leon Edwards.
“It was a good win. Leon just didn’t do enough,” he said.
“He was too much on the back foot and he gave Belal pretty much a layup, I thought. He did exactly what you shouldn’t do against Belal Muhammad.
“Belal’s a very good fighter and he finds ways to win against the best guys and I think Leon just didn’t do enough, sat too much on the back foot, didn’t push the pace enough, but a solid victory.”
With the homework done and countless hours in the gym behind him, Della Maddalena is confident he’s got the tools to overcome the elite cardio and wrestling of the Chicago native.
“As the fight goes on, I’ll be the one landing more damage,” he said.
“His style is more about dragging you down, holding you down and trying to make you work by getting back to your feet, but I think the longer the fight goes, I’ll be able to physically damage him.
“As that damage compiles, it’s going to slow him down. Deeper in the fight I might be able to take him out.
“Obviously we’ve been working worst-case scenario, on my back, bad submissions, the whole lot, getting back to my feet.
“All in all, the perfect fight would be stuffing the takedowns over and over again and stinging him.”
And once he gets his hand raised, Della Maddalena is happy to take on number one contender Shavkat Rakhmonov, who is currently sidelined with injury, in his first defence, hopefully, back home in Perth.
“To bring the title back to Australia and hopefully be able to defend it in Perth would be just a dream,” he said.
“Stuff I was visualising and believing it would come true and now I’m living it out.”
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