Willetton-trained MMA fighter Jack Della Maddalena had perhaps the best performance of his career in June, taking out Dagestani fighter Ramazan Emeev in the first round to take his professional record to 12-2 at UFC 275 in Singapore.
It was what happened just after the fight, however, that he is most proud of.
The Scrappy MMA product welcomed his first child, Franco, into the world, and as he prepares to fight Englishman Danny “Hot Chocolate” Roberts in Las Vegas on November 20, he said his sleep patterns have definitely changed.
“It is a shock to the system, definitely, but he’s been a pretty good sleeper, I have to get up once or twice a night but that’s fine,” he said.
“I guess I’m lucky, because I train full-time, I train morning and night so I’ve got a lot of time during the day to spend with Franco, and my partner has been really supportive as well.
“I used to work a 9 to 5 and I had to structure my training around that, now I can train when I want and I get to spend time with my boy.”
He knows many were confused when he accepted the fight against Roberts when the next UFC event in Perth, UFC 284 at Perth Arena in February 2023, is just around the corner.
Della Maddalena said there was a very good reason for taking the fight.
“I knew Perth was happening and they did ask if I wanted to wait, but I wanted another fight before the end of the year and to be honest I think I can get in and out of there quick and be right in time for the Perth card.
“I wanted someone with name recognition for the Perth card as well, so the motivation to take on Danny Roberts was to get someone outside the top 15 at welterweight who people will recognise, it’s my home crowd and I want to put on a good performance.
“The card is huge, there’s probably going to be two title fights and to fight in front of my friends and family at home, that would be really special if I can get through Roberts without an injury.
“I genuinely think I’m better than him, he’s a good fighter but I’m better.
“He bites down on his mouthpiece and swings while he’s looking at the floor so I think there’s holes in his game I can definitely exploit.”
In an age where many fighters, particularly MMA fighters, are prepared to move camps overseas to achieve success, Della Maddalena has no plans to leave Willetton.
It certainly helps that he has his older brother, Josh, in his corner.
“We wrestled together a lot as kids, and a lot of those wrestling matched turned into fights.
“The team we’ve got at Willetton, that’s the team I started with and I can’t see any reason to leave.”
There’s one question, however, that everyone asks Della Maddalena – when will he get his nose, badly broken in just his second MMA fight, fixed?
“Mate I’ll get that done when I retire, definitely, but at the moment it’s fine.”
