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With his welterweight title contest on the line in the third round, Jack Della Maddalena took his future into the judges’ hands by seizing the momentum and violently stopping veteran Gilbert Burns.
The second fight of UFC 299 pay-per-view main card It proved to be exciting as the 37-year-old Burns, well ahead on two of three scorecards and in complete control due to his dominant hold in the final round, saw a certain victory snatched away from him when his Australian opponent reversed the position. on the ground before being kneed in the face as he stood up.
Della Maddalena (17-2) improved his undefeated UFC record to 7-0 when he jumped on an injured Burns (22-7) to finish him off with a brutal ground and slam, forcing referee Dan Miragliotta to make the save. native. from Brazil at 3:43 of Round 3.
The biggest win of Della Maddalena’s two-plus years in the UFC was also his 17th straight victory overall after losing his first two pro fights in 2016. Given Burns’ No. 4 ranking at 170 pounds, the No. 11 Della Maddalena announced herself in a big way as potentially the biggest future threat to Leon Edwards’ title.
To ensure there was no doubt about his true intentions, Della Maddalena, 27, used his post-fight interview inside the Octagon to draw attention to the division’s uncrowned champion-in-waiting, 18-0 Shavkat Rakhmonov.
“It feels good. My plan was to come here, grab and throw the cash,” Della Maddalena said. “There are some scary people in this division, but I’m fucking scary. Shavkat Rakhmonov, I think you and I would make an incredible title eliminator. He’s one of the best in the business. Come on.”
The fight against Burns was competitive throughout, despite the advantage Burns had built on the scorecards. Both opening rounds could have been scored either way as Burns mixed looping right hands with timely takedowns against the defensively solid Della Maddalena’s constant combination of boxing and stance changes.
Burns went on to control Round 3 with chain wrestling until Della Maddalena created the late opening.
“[Burns] “I stayed there a long time,” Della Maddalena said. “He is the man”.
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