Javier Mendez thinks it’s a bad idea for UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena and his coach to undermine Islam Makhachev’s striking.
Former lightweight champion Makhachev (27-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC) challenges Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) for the welterweight title in the UFC 322 main event Nov. 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Della Maddalena claimed the 170-pound belt by defeating Belal Muhammad at UFC 315.
Della Maddalena said Muhammad is tougher to deal with on the feet than Makhachev because he switches stances, and his coach, Ben Vickers, said Muhammad has the better chin. But Mendez is confident that Makhachev’s striking will surprise Della Maddalena once they fight.
“I hope he goes in believing that, because when he gets in there with Islam, he’s going to find out a whole different story,” Mendez told Submission Radio. “Because I’m sorry, but they’re completely different, and by no means is Islam easy for anybody in the standup. Any MMA fighter that’s a striker is not going to have an easy time with him.
“I’ve been with this kid going on 11 years, watching him destroy just everybody in the standup. Guys that are much better standup than him, and he still destroys them. Don’t go by what you see. When you’re in there with that man, it’s a whole different ball game.”
Unlike Della Maddalena’s coach questioning Makhachev’s striking, Mendez won’t underestimate the Aussie’s ground game. Della Maddalena will seek help from Craig Jones, but Mendez believes he has a better coach in his corner.
“He has a really good ground game,” Mendez said of Della Maddalena. “And having Craig Jones with him, who’s an exceptional world-class grappler that’s a great teacher and has been in the game, he’s been training top-level people, world champions.
“So, Craig Jones is very formidable, but in my opinion, on my end, I have the greatest of all time being the grappling ace for us, and that’s Khabib. So, when it comes to grappling, I don’t care because I have the best in my coaching staff. I couldn’t care less who they have because I have the best.”
