Della Maddalena vs Makhachev Confirmed for UFC 322 Madison Square Garden

UFC 322, scheduled for November 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, will feature a highly anticipated welterweight title fight between reigning champion Jack Della Maddalena and former lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. Della Maddalena, who claimed the welterweight belt in May with a unanimous decision over Belal Muhammad, will make his first title defense against Makhachev, who recently vacated his lightweight title to move up to the 170-pound division. Makhachev, a four-time lightweight champion known for victories over top opponents like Alexander Volkanovski and Dustin Poirier, is aiming to secure a second UFC title in a new weight class. The matchup has been confirmed by UFC president Dana White and Makhachev's manager Ali Abdelaziz, who emphasized waiting for the official UFC announcement to maintain good relations with the promotion. This main event is part of a stacked UFC 322 lineup that also includes a women's flyweight title fight between Valentina Shevchenko and Zhang Weili. The bout represents a significant challenge for both fighters and is considered one of the most anticipated fights of 2025.