Daniel Cormier, the UFC commentator, was mistaken when he alleged that up-and-coming UFC talent had initially declined a bout.
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Daniel Cormier, the UFC commentator, was mistaken when he alleged that up-and-coming UFC talent Jack Della Maddalena had initially declined a bout against Bassil Hafez. Ben Vickers, the head coach at Scrappy MMA, where the Australian fighter primarily hones his skills, sought to rectify the record in a recent interview with Bloody Elbow.
In a July showdown, Jack Della Maddalena emerged victorious in a fiercely contested battle, securing a split-decision win. Hafez received accolades for his commendable performance, notably for stepping into the fight on short notice. He gave the UFC prospect a run for his money, according to all reports.
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During the commentary, Cormier made a statement suggesting that Della Maddalena had reservations about accepting the fight initially. Vickers vehemently refutes this assertion, emphasizing that it goes against their principles to decline any fight offers.
Maddalena’s coach expressed pride in his performance during the last fight, highlighting the challenges he had to overcome to reach that point. He pointed out the unique situation Jack was in as one of the UFC’s most promising prospects, emphasizing that despite having everything to lose and nothing to gain, he still stepped up to the challenge.
“You have to take a lot into consideration for that last fight,” Vickers told Bloody Elbow. “It’s Jack’s performance I’m most proud of if I’m honest, because of what he went through to get there in the first place. Who’s going to do that in Jack’s position? Hottest prospect in the UFC. Everything to lose, nothing to gain.
“S—t circumstances, s—t mental frame, s—t training circumstances, s—t dietary circumstances, s—t living circumstances. It was s—t. But Jack just kept his eyes on the prize because he wants to fight as much as possible. He’ll fight anyone no matter who it is.”
Having put the recent fight firmly in his rearview, Jack Della Maddalena is now focused on advancing his career. The 26-year-old fighter is gearing up for his 18th professional bout, aiming to extend his winning streak as he faces off against fan-favorite Kevin Holland at Noche UFC. While certain fans view Holland as a significant challenge, Vickers doesn’t see him as much of a threat.
“Holland is a stand-up guy, stand-up fighter,” Vickers explained. “But he’s tailor-made for Jack. You can’t leave your chin up in the air with a guy like Jack. I think he’s there to be hit, personally. We know he’s got a mean D’arce choke so that’s something we’ve got to look out for during the fight.”
Noche UFC is scheduled for Saturday, September 16th, taking place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. The event’s main attraction will be a highly anticipated women’s flyweight title rematch, featuring champion Alexa Grasso defending her title against former titleholder Valentina Shevchenko. Meanwhile, the co-main event will showcase the clash between Della Maddalena and Holland.
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