Dana White Teases Makhachev’s Title Fight Against Della Maddalena

Las Vegas, Nevada — UFC President Dana White provided updates on the potential title fight between Islam Makhachev and Jack Della Maddalena during an Instagram Live session on July 22, 2025. Fans have eagerly anticipated the matchup, as both fighters are at significant points in their careers.

Makhachev, the current lightweight champion, is preparing to defend his title against Della Maddalena, who is making waves in the welterweight division. White revealed that initial plans for the fight did not align, leading to new scheduling. Instead of an immediate title bout, the UFC will host a Fight Night event in Australia in September.

White’s latest announcement confirmed that Makhachev’s potential title defense is being arranged for later this year at Madison Square Garden in New York. ‘Islam, yeah, we’re working on Islam, we’ll have some Islam news soon,’ White said with a grin, hinting at upcoming details for the fans.

Former UFC fighters have voiced their concerns regarding Makhachev’s upcoming fight, suggesting Della Maddalena poses a real threat. Khabib Nurmagomedov, Makhachev’s coach and former champion, acknowledged Della Maddalena as a formidable opponent but expressed confidence in Makhachev’s abilities.

Nurmagomedov speculated about potential challengers if Makhachev prevails against Della Maddalena. ‘Who’s even left? There’s Ian Machado Garry, there’s Shavkat Rakhmonov, there’s Kamaru Usman… Let’s just imagine hypothetically if Islam wins. I think Kamaru might show up; he might be an option,’ he said.

The UFC community awaits further announcements regarding the bout’s details and lineup, which could set the stage for one of the year’s premier matchups.