Jack Della Maddalena out to prove he isn’t a ‘shiny new toy’ against Randy Brown at UFC 284

There are many benefits of being in the middle of a UFC fight week while still being able to travel home and sleep in your own bed.

All of the many directions Jack Della Maddalena is being dragged into right now, from media commitments to focusing on shedding those last few pounds, still ultimately ends up driving to his house and going back into husband and father mode every night can change .

Jack Della Maddalena ready for a ‘masterclass’ at UFC 284

There were no distractions for Maddalena at this camp, the need for acclimatization in a foreign country, or trips upstairs to an empty hotel room.

He’s just enjoying the unique comfort of fighting from his hometown of Perth ahead of the biggest fight of his career against Randy Brown in front of a sold out crowd at the RAC Arena.

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In the space of a year, Maddalena has butchered his way through some of the welterweight charts, notching up three first-round knockout wins to make a name for himself not just in town but in promotion in general.

He earned his big hit in 2021 through Dana White’s Contender Series and is currently on an 11-fight professional win streak to extend on Sunday.

“My plan is to hold a master class,” explained the 26-year-old.

“I want to go in there and not get hit from the start and damage Randy.

“I’m in my hometown and I’m focused. I’m ready to put up a good fight for the crowd.

“I always thought it was going to happen – fight here in front of a big crowd in the UFC. It’s a dream come true.”

When the man fighting out of Scrappy MMA makes his way to the Octagon and slams the cage door behind him, he’s staring into the eyes of an opponent intent on turning his dream into a nightmare.

“Shiny new toy – that’s how I see it,” the American summed up Maddalena’s increasing popularity.

“All the hype is well deserved, it’s really good, but I get overlooked. I’ve been overlooked my entire career. That’s just the nature of my story, I guess.

“Anyone else on a four-fight win streak and who’s beat the guys that I’ve beaten … anyone else would’ve already been fighting a top 15.

“I didn’t have to accept this fight. But I didn’t want to sit and wait. I wanted to get out there and make a statement.

“What’s the easiest way? Come to someone’s hometown and hit them.”

Will Randy Brown Be Maddalena’s Toughest UFC Fight Yet?

The Queens veteran presents a unique challenge for Maddalena with his five-inch reach advantage, superior experience and impressive run of late.

But the quietly confident Aussie, who is looking to eclipse Chuck Liddell’s long-standing UFC record of seven straight KOs, remains unimpressed.

“He’s extremely tall and has fought some of the top guys in the division so I’m looking forward to challenging myself,” said Maddalena.

“I really didn’t bring anyone else in [during the camp]. I’ve spent years training with my brother, who has a pretty similar build to Randy.

“He has a versatile style and I think his range is probably his most dangerous weapon.

“It’s a style and a framework I’m used to and I definitely think I have the tools and the team to make it happen.”

Brown shared that sentiment when asked how his tape analysis uncovered any loose ends in Maddalena’s game that got lost in the ferocity of his knockouts.

While he didn’t reveal any potential avenues to victory, he was confident he could defy the odds and come out on top.

“I’m not really going to just come and give you all my plans just because you asked,” he laughed.

“I watched him quite often. I think he has the skills to beat me and I think I have the skills and style to beat him.

“It’s about who can last the longest and who carries out their plan. It will be a battle of attrition and discipline.”

Maddalena has yet to be drawn into a war of attrition, however, having pulverized his way through opponents like Ramazan Emeev and Danny Roberts with the help of spasming liver shots.

“I want to go down as one of the most skilled players in the game,” he said.

“Every time I fight, I just want to look good. I strive for the perfect performance, but of course that’s a tough mountain. But that is the plan.”

Maddalena will take the pressure to fight in front of his home fans

Maddalena hasn’t been shy about jumping up the rankings and naming herself as a contender for the title currently held by Leon Edwards.

With that expectation of hosting a masterclass against Brown in front of his family, friends and hometown, there are some downsides.

The weight of him becoming the first UFC champion from WA can be a heavy burden.

“The pressure is important,” Maddalena shrugged.

“I think it will make the win feel a lot better. So I’ll take the pressure.

“You don’t do that every day, so I enjoy every second of it.”

Brown argued that aside from all the glitz and glamor that fight week brings, the pressure that comes with each individual fight is ultimately all that matters. And pressure can do weird things to people.

It can result in them unknowingly falling into traps laid out on the canvas, shooting for a takedown when there is no opening, or reaching out for a punch that could cause their own lights to go out.

“Some people use that energy to stick a battery in their back, but it can also be a lot of pressure,” said the 32-year-old.

“It affects people negatively, pressure. You don’t want to get hurt in front of your friends and family.”

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However, right now there is a feeling that Maddalena’s fights could be missed after he spent just eight minutes and 15 seconds in the cage overall during his burgeoning UFC career.

From the moment he emerges in front of the Perth crowd, he’s made sure all eyes are on him, from his walk from the dressing room to every punch he throws.

“The crowd can’t fight for him,” Brown said.

“I don’t care if they don’t like me. You can’t like me as much as you want, but after I perform, you’ll love me.

“At the end of the day, it’s just boos. When I was fighting in Brazil, people were like, ‘Oh man, are you going into enemy territory?’ But what should I do or say? It’s not like they throw shit in the cage.

“Remember when Renzo Gracie was fighting a guy and they stabbed him through the cage? People make it look like it’s going to be. It’s just people screaming.”

If Maddalena wins on Sunday, the noise will be deafening. Not only in the RAC Arena, but also after confirming his arrival in the division’s elite.

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