Jack Della Maddalena Names Five Greatest MMA Fighters.

4 hours ago7 min read2 comments

In a move that will undoubtedly fuel debate in gyms and online forums from Perth to Pennsylvania, UFC welterweight contender Jack Della Maddalena has thrown his hat into the ring of the sport's eternal debate, naming his personal pantheon of the five greatest MMA fighters of all time. The Australian striker, never one to mince words, delivered a list that is both respectful of the established canon and intriguingly personal, a selection that feels less like a cold statistical analysis and more like a fighter's heartfelt tribute to the artists who shaped his craft.'I'd have to include Jon Jones, B. J.Penn, Georges St-Pierre, and Anderson Silva,' Della Maddalena stated, his choices immediately resonating with a certain historical consensus. Jon Jones, despite a career punctuated by controversy, remains the statistical and technical marvel whose reign over the light heavyweight division is arguably the most dominant in UFC history, a fighter whose creative and unorthodox striking can be seen as a spiritual precursor to Della Maddalena's own slick boxing.B. J.Penn, 'The Prodigy,' represents an era of raw, multi-faceted talent, a lightweight and welterweight champion whose jiu-jitsu was as venomous as his hands, a reminder of the sport's foundational principle of complete martial arts mastery. Then comes Georges St-Pierre, the 'Rush' from Montreal, the very epitome of athletic excellence and strategic perfection; GSP’s methodical dismantling of opponents, his unparalleled fight IQ, and his reign over the welterweight division that Della Maddalena himself now seeks to conquer sets a gold standard for what it means to be a champion.Anderson Silva, 'The Spider,' needs little introduction—his middleweight title run was a decade-long highlight reel of supernatural striking, clowning, and sheer audacity, a level of in-cage artistry that every striker, including Della Maddalena, aspires to capture. But it's the fifth and final name that adds a distinct, global flavor to the list, separating it from a purely UFC-centric view: 'And probably Fedor Emelianenko, he was dominant,' Della Maddalena added, paying homage to the stoic Russian sambo master whose unprecedented, near-decade-long unbeaten run in PRIDE FC cemented his mythical status as the 'Last Emperor.' Fedor’s inclusion is a nod to the old guard, to a time when the sport's best often resided outside the UFC octagon, and his stoic power and relentless ground-and-pound in the land of the giants remains the stuff of legend. This selection isn't just a casual opinion; it lands at a pivotal moment in Della Maddalena's own career trajectory.The announcement comes as he is slated to headline the monumental UFC 322 pay-per-view on November 16th in New York, a title fight in the welterweight division against the formidable Islam Makhachev. Placing himself in the same conversation as these legends, even as a commentator, is a psychological power move, a way of aligning his own ambitions with the immortals of the sport just before he steps onto the grandest stage at Madison Square Garden.It’s a fighter’s version of speaking his destiny into existence, much like a young Lionel Messi might have studied the tapes of Diego Maradona, not just to emulate, but to one day surpass. The list itself is a fascinating study in contrasts, pitting the clean-cut, corporate professionalism of a St-Pierre against the chaotic, unpredictable genius of a Jones or a Silva, and then bridging the gap to the Eastern European stoicism of Fedor.It acknowledges that greatness isn't a monolith; it can be the calculated dominance of GSP, the otherworldly flair of Silva, the prodigious talent of Penn, the flawed genius of Jones, or the indomitable force of Fedor. By including Fedor, Della Maddalena shows a deep appreciation for the sport's international history, a respect for the path forged by pioneers before the UFC's global monopoly.As fight night in New York approaches, this declaration adds another layer of narrative to Jack Della Maddalena. He is not merely a challenger; he is a student of the game, a historian with fists, who understands the weight of the history he is trying to join. Whether his own name will one day be uttered in the same breath as the five giants he has named is the story that will begin to be written this November, under the bright lights of the world's most famous arena.

#editorial picks news

#Jack Della Maddalena

#UFC

#greatest fighters

#Jon Jones

#BJ Penn

#Georges St-Pierre

#Anderson Silva

#Fedor Emelianenko

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