Jack Della Maddalena walked into UFC 322 as the welterweight champion, but left without the belt after a dominant 25-minute defeat against Islam Makhachev. While many analysts blamed the game plan and tactical preparation, his longtime coach Ben Vickers has made one thing clear. The plan was sound, but the execution fell apart under the bright lights.
Speaking on Submission Radio, Vickers reflected on the loss and offered an honest assessment of the performance. He acknowledged the disappointment, stating that Della Maddalena simply did not perform at his best. According to Vickers, the fight was one of the rare occasions where Jack did not show his usual sharpness and composure.
“We are not happy with the performance. I feel like Jack could have done better. On his bad night, when you have an off night in this sport, it is very humiliating. We were comprehensively beaten and we need to do better,” Vickers said.
Criticism quickly followed UFC 322, with some questioning whether the strategy was effective against Makhachev’s elite grappling and pressure. Vickers responded, revealing that the game plan was built around movement, outside striking, and avoiding prolonged ground exchanges. However, the team was never able to initiate their planned routes to escape or counter Makhachev’s wrestling.
“The game plan was movement, but I feel like we never got the movement going. We had routes to the feet on the floor, but we could not start executing them. I do not think there was an issue with the game plan, just the execution,” Vickers explained.
Islam Makhachev managed to secure dominant positions throughout the fight, controlling for over 19 minutes on the ground. Vickers admitted that they wanted to keep the fight mobile, land consistent damage, and perform what he described as a tactical “death by a thousand cuts” using sharp distance striking. However, the strategy remained largely theoretical once Makhachev imposed his grappling pressure.
Despite the setback, Vickers maintains strong faith in Della Maddalena’s future. He emphasized that their camp was excellent, and their final simulation before the fight was one of Jack’s best. While the title picture may now be temporarily out of reach, Vickers fully expects Jack to return to contention.
“I still firmly believe Jack can beat Islam Makhachev. We climbed the mountain once from our little shed in Western Australia, and we are prepared to do it again,” he said.
Della Maddalena now finds himself back in the mix of elite welterweights looking to rebound, refine, and re-enter the championship race. If Vickers is right, this loss will not define him, but instead become fuel for a comeback.
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