Jack Della’s Career Ends in 5 Minutes or Less – According to Makhachev

Islam Makhachev has never been one for flamboyant predictions. But when the reigning UFC lightweight champion makes a statement, the MMA world pays attention. His latest claim has left fans stunned and rival camps rattled: if he faces Jack Della Maddalena, the fight “won’t last more than five minutes”—and it could end Jack Della’s career altogether.

It’s a chilling prediction from one of the sport’s most dominant and cerebral champions. And it’s not just talk. Makhachev has a habit of delivering exactly what he promises—with precision, patience, and punishment.

As the rumor mill heats up about a possible super fight between Islam Makhachev and Jack Della, the narrative is beginning to shift. What started as a test of styles—Dagestani grappling vs Australian boxing—has become a psychological battle of legacy, dominance, and destruction.

Why Makhachev Believes It Will Be Over in 5 Minutes

Behind closed doors, sources from Makhachev’s camp say the champion has already begun strategizing for a potential leap to welterweight. His team is confident: Della might be dangerous on the feet, but he won’t get the chance to showcase it.

“Islam believes he can take Della down within the first minute, control him, and either finish with ground-and-pound or submission. He’s done it before to world-class fighters. Della has no answers on the ground,” said a teammate close to Makhachev’s camp.

From the outside, the prediction may seem cocky or dismissive, but it reflects a larger truth about Islam Makhachev’s style: once he takes control, most fighters don’t get it back.

Makhachev has finished 13 of his 25 wins early, including submissions and TKOs against elite opponents like Charles Oliveira. In his rematch against Alexander Volkanovski, he proved that he doesn’t even need wrestling to win—his head kick knockout silenced critics who questioned his striking.

And now, he’s promising to do worse to Della—fast and mercilessly.

Jack Della Maddalena: Calm Before the Storm

Jack Della Maddalena, the pride of Perth, Australia, has cut through the UFC’s welterweight division like a hot knife through butter. His striking is clinical, his body shots devastating, and his fight IQ impressive for someone relatively new to the global spotlight.

But Makhachev’s critique is sharp: “Della hasn’t faced pressure like mine. Once I put him on his back, he won’t get up.”

This isn’t hyperbole. Della’s recent fights—while thrilling—have shown glimpses of vulnerability, particularly in grappling exchanges. Against a wrestling genius like Makhachev, those gaps could spell disaster.

Analysts are split. Some argue that Della’s reach, movement, and crisp boxing could trouble Makhachev if he keeps the fight standing. But others believe the fight might never get there.

“If Makhachev gets his hands on Della early, it’s over,” said one ESPN analyst. “We’re talking about the closest thing to prime Khabib, only with even more versatility.”

Mind Games or Real Threat?

Makhachev’s “five-minute death sentence” comment is about more than tactics—it’s a mental war. By putting a time stamp on the end of Della’s career, he’s planting a psychological seed of doubt.

It’s the kind of psychological warfare the Dagestanis have mastered. Khabib did it to McGregor. Islam is now doing it to Jack.

Even more chilling is Makhachev’s claim that he might not just beat Della—but break him, possibly for good.

“After I beat him,” Makhachev reportedly said in his training camp, “he won’t want to fight again. He’ll feel something he’s never felt. I won’t stop until he’s finished.”

This could be bravado—or it could be prophecy.

What Happens If Islam Is Right?

If Islam Makhachev goes up to welterweight and dismantles Jack Della in under five minutes, he immediately enters the pantheon of all-time greats. He would become one of the few UFC champions to move up in weight and dominate without skipping a beat.

Moreover, he’d send a message to the entire 170-pound division: no one is safe—not even at a higher weight class.

But the implications for Jack Della Maddalena are even more serious. A quick loss to Makhachev—especially a brutal, one-sided one—could stall his meteoric rise. Worse, it could shake his confidence permanently, the way some prospects never recover from early career knockouts or maulings.

That’s why Makhachev’s claim isn’t just about a fight. It’s about a career-changing moment. One that could either elevate both fighters—or bury one of them.

Stylistic Breakdown: Where It Could All Go Wrong for Della

Makhachev’s plan appears simple: close the distance, initiate a clinch, drag Della down, and implement his classic Dagestani top pressure.

Once on the ground, Islam’s control is oppressive. His opponents find themselves unable to breathe, let alone escape. His ability to transition between positions—knee on belly, half guard, mount, back control—is textbook brutality.

Della, on the other hand, thrives in space. He needs room to land his jabs, his slicing uppercuts, and devastating liver shots. But against Islam, space is a luxury he may not get.

“If Della can survive the first round and make Islam strike more, he has a chance,” says former welterweight contender Michael Chiesa. “But if he gives up a takedown early? It could be over before it even begins.”

UFC’s Role – The Making of a Super Fight

The UFC brass, always hunting for the next blockbuster, must be licking their lips. The storyline writes itself: Dagestan’s cold killer vs Australia’s golden boy. A clash of styles, cultures, and continents.

Both men have rabid fanbases. Both bring excitement. And with Makhachev already teasing the move to 170 pounds, it’s not a matter of “if,” but “when.”

Dana White has already hinted that Islam’s next fight “could surprise people.” If Della Maddalena keeps winning, this fight might headline a major pay-per-view by 2026, possibly in Abu Dhabi or Sydney.

It would be one of the UFC’s biggest non-title fights—or a title fight if Makhachev wants to go for double gold.