Della Maddalena Considered Prates
Jack Della Maddalena said in January 2025 that he had considered facing Carlos Prates at UFC 312 before accepting a London main event against Leon Edwards. The Australian discussed those options during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show.
An Australian return had been the original target
Della Maddalena had spent much of the previous year recovering from an arm injury and the complications he described after surgery. With the UFC heading to Sydney, he wanted an opportunity to compete on home soil.
Prates had called for the matchup after a rapid rise through the welterweight ranks. Della Maddalena said he was open to that assignment despite their different positions in the rankings.
The Edwards offer changed his immediate plans
The UFC instead offered a March main event against former champion Edwards. Della Maddalena accepted the larger opportunity and welcomed additional preparation time.
That booking changed again when he was selected to challenge Belal Muhammad at UFC 315. Sean Brady took his place against Edwards in London, so neither of the January options became his next fight.
A championship win led to another major reshuffle
Della Maddalena defeated Muhammad by unanimous decision in Montreal on May 10, 2025, winning the welterweight title. His reign then ended against Islam Makhachev at UFC 322 on November 15.
Makhachev won every round on all three cards at Madison Square Garden. On the same night, Prates knocked out Edwards with a left hand at 1:28 of the second round, connecting the earlier matchmaking discussion to a very different set of completed results.
Sources
- MMA Mania: Helwani interview about Prates, recovery and the Edwards offer
- MMA Fighting: Brady replacement and Della Maddalena’s title assignment
- UFC: May championship victory
- UFC: November Makhachev and Prates results
