Shavkat Rakhmonov reacts to Jack Della Maddalena’s call for a fight following UFC 299 victory
Shavkat Rakhmonov thinks Jack Della Maddalena should be careful what he wishes for.
The Aussie standout made it 17 in a row on Saturday night, scoring a sensational come-from-behind victory over perennial contender Gilbert Burns at UFC 299. Immediately following his seventh win inside the Octagon, JDM called for a fight with one of the scariest dudes in the division.
“There’s some scary people in this division, and I’m the f*cking scariest,” Della Maddalena said during his post-fight interview. “Shavkat Rakhmonov, I think me and you could make a hell of a title eliminator. One of the best in the business, let’s go!”
Getting wind of Della Maddalena’s callout, the undefeated ‘Nomad’ commended his confidence, but cautioned JDM for biting off a bit more than he can chew.
“I respect your courage and confidence Jack, but you will face the same fate as my previous opponents,” Rakhmonov wrote on X.
Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Jack Della Maddalena Makes a lot of sense
Thus far, Shavkat Rakhmonov is undefeated in his mixed martial arts career, dispatching all 18 of his opponents inside the distance with 10 submissions and eight knockouts. Through his last three appearances, ‘Nomad’ has worked his way through a slew of welterweight gatekeepers, including Neil Magny, Geoff Neal, and Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson. As a result, Rakhmonov currently sits as the No. 3 ranked contender in the division.
Before UFC 299, Jack Della Maddalena was sitting in the No. 11 slot, but after his performance against Gilbert Burns, JDM will likely find himself firmly placed in the top five, making a clash with Rakhmonov the next logical step for both men.
