Bookie mistake? Belal was ‘perfect warm-up fight’ for underdog Jack Della ahead of Islam showdown at UFC 322

That doesn’t sit well with former UFC middleweight champion, Michael Bisping.

“I think that’s a little bit disrespectful to Jack Della Maddalena,” Bisping told Bloody Elbow. “The man’s on an 18-fight win streak, he just beat Belal Muhammad, he defended all the takedowns there, he’s beaten grapplers before in the past. Yes, Islam Makhachev is incredible, and he’d be another contender for pound-for-pound No. 1, greatest of all time, whatever you want to call it. But Belal Muhammad was a perfect warm-up fight for Islam Makhachev.”

“With the boxing of Jack, if Islam was to stand with him, that would be a bad idea,” Bisping continued. “With Jack’s boxing and the footwork that’s associated with boxing, that’s going to help, and that’s going to be very advantageous. He knows how to defend a takedown. He knows what he’s doing off his back. He can get back to his feet. Yeah, I understand why Islam is a slight favorite because he’s tried and tested and the greatest lightweight fighter that the sport has ever seen, but don’t be surprised if Jack Della Maddalena gets it done.”

This will mark Makhachev’s first (and long-desired) welterweight fight under the UFC banner.

To see who else is fighting at UFC 322 in New York click here.