UFC welterweight contender Jack Della Maddalena has overcome a severe bone infection that threatened his career, putting him on the verge of challenging for the division`s championship.
The skilled southpaw is set to compete for the title early Sunday morning, facing current 170-pound champion Belal Muhammad in the main event of UFC 315 in Montreal.
His opportunity for the UFC title comes 14 months after he broke his left arm during a significant victory over former title challenger Gilbert Burns. Following initial surgery, he required a second operation ten days later due to a splitting wound caused by an infection.
Della Maddalena, aiming to be the third Australian UFC champion, spent nine days hospitalized, receiving both intravenous and oral antibiotics to combat the infection.
However, his recovery was complicated by multiple abscesses that developed in the wound over the following five weeks.
In an interview, Della Maddalena described the severe nature of the infection. He explained that ten days after the first surgery, the wound split open, oozing fluid and looking “pretty nasty”. The infection reached the bone, requiring further surgeries to remove infected tissue. He felt it was simply bad luck, a risk of surgery that he unfortunately experienced fully. The focus shifted to fighting the persistent infection through antibiotics and multiple procedures.
The recovery process was emotionally challenging, marked by significant “ups and downs”. After the high of a major win, the injury was manageable, but the news of the infection was a “devastating” blow, especially as he was eager to compete again. Despite the setbacks, he chose to “roll with it” and “stay strong”.
His family provided crucial support during this difficult period, offering distractions like the birth of his second child.
He maintained a calm perspective, believing, “If it`s meant to be, it will be, and I`ll be back in there.” He expressed gratitude that the situation ultimately resolved positively.
The champion, Belal Muhammad, who secured the title from Leon Edwards in Manchester last July, will be making his second title defense.
Unlike many others, Della Maddalena refuses to underestimate his opponent, acknowledging Muhammad as a “very good” and “well-rounded” fighter who “doesn`t get the props he deserves”. He noted Muhammad`s effective game plan in his title-winning fight, which he felt “stifled Leon`s advantages,” although acknowledging it wasn`t Edwards` “best performance”. Della Maddalena concluded that “anyone can win on any given night,” and that particular night belonged to Muhammad.
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