Dricus Du Plessis Highlights Prime Change For Jack Della Maddalena in UFC 322 Loss To Islam Makhachev

Last Saturday, Islam Makhachev solidified his MMA legacy as yet another double champion, bagging the 170lbs title from Jack Della Maddalena in the UFC 322 PPV main event. Doing so makes the dominant Dagestani the 11th two-division champ, courtesy of a lopsided UD discourse. Former middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis thinks JDM could have made some adjustments in the matchup.

His tough loss to Islam Makhachev in the UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev PPV headliner was the topic of Jack Della Maddalena’s reflection on Thursday. Other fighters, including the Afrikaner, pitched in as well.

Makhachev logged some 19 minutes of control time, snubbed some action fenceside, and gave JDM little to strike with. Not long ago, Dricus Du Plessis himself lost his gold to the dominant Khamzat Chimaev, who put in a salvo of 12 successful TDs and 22 minutes of control!

Like JDM, Du Plessis faced many of the same criticisms about a lack in the prep and not giving anything to the fight. He thinks the Aussie scrapper (who went toe-to-toe with Belal Muhammad) should have initiated some form of clinch.

With ‘JDM’ – In terms of game plan, he had some brilliant moments when he got his shots off, [Like]…like, especially in the clinch…think he should have initiated the clinch a bit more because when they are standing at range, he would wait and he would be very tentative to throw because he’s scared of TDs. BUT he gets taken down anyway!

Dricus Du Plessis on @FightForecastShow

Dan Hooker, who stars in this weekend’s UFCQatar Fight Night at ABHA Arena, Doha, also made the same argument, speaking to TheMACLife. Hooker, the #6 lightweight on the athletes’ listings, said he was focused on peeling from the pressure and not losing to Makhachev when they fought, rather than ‘winning’ or initiating something.

Not long ago, then-champion Du Plessis was even discussing the naturally bulky Makhachev potentially moving up to 185, after welterweight. He even outright dismissed it, saying a big lightweight is still a small middleweight; now, he can’t help but be in awe. DDP further noted that the Russian MMA talents coming out of the Caucasus mountains should be studied.

Another fighter had his qualm about size and Islam Makhachev faring in the 170lbs division

Somewhat akin to Dricus Du Plessis, Colby Covington also weighed in on Makhachev making his entry in the 170lbs weight class, big time. Covington himself his 0-3 in trying to realize UFC welterweight gold. However, this has not made him bitter toward the Dagestani. Islam Makhachev even wanted a legacy fight with former #1 P4P and welterweight king Kamaru Usman, also a Covington rival.

‘Chaos’ is further and further out of the top order in the division. Surprisingly, he has avoided his usual corny, expletive bombs when talking about the change in guard.

No – No – I didn’t see it coming. I thought [JDM] was the bigger guy and he would be able to overpower Makhachev, but hats off to him. He implemented his game plan and was able to really just control the fight the whole time.

Colby Covington to The Schmo via the Schmozone Podcast (@theschmo312)

WTF is this?!?! Colby has something nice to say about someone 🤯

— SAVAGE ROOTS (@SavageRootsMMA) November 20, 2025

Chaos usually goes hellfire on everyone in the welterweight class. However, his giving props to new double champ Islam Makhachev has taken fight fans by surprise. The UFC 322 PPV main event has ushered in new changes; a docile and complimentary Covington was not something that fans expected.

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