In the aftermath of Islam Makhachev’s dominant victory over Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, one of MMA’s most outspoken managers didn’t hold back his criticism of the welterweight champion’s jiu-jitsu coach.
Ali Abdelaziz, who manages Makhachev and numerous other top UFC stars, directed harsh comments toward renowned grappler Craig Jones, suggesting the Australian jiu-jitsu specialist’s influence may have hindered Della Maddalena’s performance in the title bout.
“This Craig Jones, please deport him, brother,” Abdelaziz said in a post-match interview. “He makes guys lose. He’s not good for MMA. Jiu-Jitsu is not good for MMA.”
The comments came after Makhachev secured a lopsided unanimous decision victory, with all three judges scoring the contest 50-45 in favor of the Dagestani challenger. The former lightweight champion successfully captured the welterweight title in his divisional debut, dominating Maddalena across all five rounds with his superior wrestling and grappling.
Abdelaziz’s criticism centered on what he viewed as a flawed gameplan from Della Maddalena’s corner. The manager suggested that Jones’ jiu-jitsu-focused approach prevented the Australian champion from using more effective strategies during the contest.
“I think Jack Maddalena today can do so much better if he tries to get up,” Abdelaziz explained. “But his buggy choke all this stuff it doesn’t work.”
The match unfolded as a masterclass in wrestling pressure from Makhachev, who secured his first takedown just one minute into the opening round. From there the pattern repeated throughout the twenty-five minute contest, with Della Maddalena struggling to defend takedowns or escape from bottom position once the match hit the mat.
In the second round Makhachev caught Della Maddalena in what looked like a defensive error, securing another takedown that left the champion pinned against the fence with nowhere to go. The pattern continued into later rounds with calf kicks from Makhachev weakening the champion’s base before takedowns came with increasing ease.
When asked if he felt disrespected by Jones, who has been vocal about his involvement in Della Maddalena’s training camp, Abdelaziz dismissed the grappling star’s relevance entirely.
“He’s nobody,” the manager stated bluntly. “He’s a Jiu-Jitsu guy trying to be relevant using MMA guys but who cares?”
Abdelaziz was possibly a bit salty due to the fact he and his firm Dominance MMA are heavily featured in UFC anti trust documents where Abdelaziz was meant to be a witness for the UFC – and not for UFC athletes which he represents.
The harsh assessment reflects a philosophical divide in mixed martial arts training methodology. While pure jiu-jitsu expertise has long been valued in MMA, Abdelaziz’s comments suggest he believes there’s a disconnect between sport jiu-jitsu and the realities of modern MMA grappling.
Throughout the contest Della Maddalena appeared focused on working for submissions from his back rather than scrambling to his feet, a strategic choice that may have reflected Jones’ influence. However this approach gave him little success against Makhachev’s suffocating top control and varied sequences.
Makhachev threatened with guillotines arm-triangles and rear-naked chokes throughout the bout while mixing in ground work that included punches elbows and shoulder strikes. The Dagestani’s well-rounded grappling approach proved more effective than Della Maddalena’s defensive jiu-jitsu.
By the fifth round with his leg badly damaged from repeated calf kicks Della Maddalena had no answers remaining. He survived to the final bell but absorbed another dominant round of top control cementing Makhachev’s status as a two-division champion.
