This past Saturday in the co-main event of Noche UFC, we saw a battle between two ranked welterweight contenders. Jack Della Maddalena (16-2) was looking for the biggest win of his career as he took on “The Trailblazer” Kevin Holland (25-10) who was looking for his third straight win at 170.
Entering the contest, I figured we’d see a closely contested battle. Both men are really good on the feet and they bring different things to the table from a striking perspective. For Holland, he really leans on his length and throws a lot of power shots down the middle. For Della Maddalena, he keeps a high guard and throws really crisp combinations.
We saw both men utilize their advantages on Saturday night. Holland had success when he fired down the middle from range. Meanwhile, Della Maddalena had a lot of success throwing to the body and legs then coming over the top. Through three rounds the fight was very close.
That said, it felt like Della Maddalena had the bigger shots throughout the fight. When you think about the biggest exchanges or the best shots that landed, Della Maddalena comes to mind. The judges at Noche UFC were split, but in the end, I think two got it right in giving the fight to Jack Della Maddalena.
What’s next after Noche UFC?
This was a very big win for Della Maddalena. Della Maddalena had been running through all of his competition until he took on Bassil Hafez back in July. Hafez really pushed Della Maddalena, but JDM was able to survive and win a close decision. He needed a big win over a guy with name recognition to shake off that Hafez fight.
While Della Maddalena did get the win, I don’t believe he got rid of all the doubters. After finishing his first four UFC fights in the first round, Della Maddalena has won back-to-back fights by split decision. So, what should be next for the rising Australian contender?
Personally, I love the idea of re-booking the Sean Brady fight or giving Della Maddalena a fight with Vicente Luque. Both would be a gradual step up in terms of rankings, but it wouldn’t be a massive leap. I also wouldn’t mind seeing him potentially fight Ian Garry next. Either of those three would be a great choice for Della Maddalena.