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Perth fighter Jack Della Maddalena becomes first to finish Russian Ramazan Emeev at UFC 275

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Mitchell WoodcockThe West Australian
Jack Della Maddalena celebrates his win over Ramazan Emeev.
Camera IconJack Della Maddalena celebrates his win over Ramazan Emeev. Credit: Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images

Jack Della Maddalena is the real deal.

In just his second fight in the UFC, Della Maddalena (12-2) made an enormous statement by becoming the first fighter in the promotion to finish Russian veteran Ramazan Emeev (20-6) in the opening bout of the main card at UFC 275 in Singapore on Sunday.

The 25-year-old took just 2 minutes and 32 seconds to finish Emeev by TKO, the first time the Russian has been finished in a nearly five-year, eight-fight UFC career.

Della Maddalena looked in big trouble when Emeev locked on a tight choke early in the fight, but the Australian remarkably worked his way out to the applause of the pro-Australian crowd.

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 Jack Della Maddalena  reacts after knocking out Ramazan Emeev.
Camera Icon Jack Della Maddalena reacts after knocking out Ramazan Emeev. Credit: Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images

He got the fight back on its feet despite the Russian being known as a grappling machine and it lasted just a seconds longer.

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The 25-year-old West Australian went on the attack, landing a series of blows before a left to the body dropped Emeev, with the referee forced to stop the fight as a merciless Della Maddalena took full advantage.

It was the second-consecutive TKO for Della Maddalena in the octagon, with the liver punch not only cementing him as a genuine star of Australian mixed martial arts but the welterweights of the world.

“It feels great. I came out here against a tough opponent who’s never been finished and I put him away in round one. Can’t feel better than that,” Della Maddalena told the UFC post-fight.

“Singapore is close to my beautiful home of Perth so a lot of friends and family made the trip. It was a dream come true but next time we can hopefully do it in Perth.

Jack Della Maddalena looked in trouble when Ramazan Emeev had him in a choke.
Camera IconJack Della Maddalena looked in trouble when Ramazan Emeev had him in a choke. Credit: Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images

“I like to hit the body, it slows the opponent down and he’s already slow enough, so I thought if I could slow him down anymore I’d be able to take him out and that’s what happened.”

Della Maddalena played down the submission attempt by Emeev.

“It wasn’t too tight, I could feel his elbows so I knew I just had to wait for the right time to push the elbow and the hand would slip out,” he said.

“You know it’s tight when your mouthguard isn’t in your mouth, but I just stayed cool, calm and collected and waited for my opportunity.”

Della Maddalena said he was ready to fight again whenever the opportunity presented, targeting another two bouts before the end of 2022.

Fighting out of Scrappy MMA in Willetton, Maddalena is on a 12-fight win streak, having lost the opening two bouts of his career.

Before his big win on Sunday, coach Ben Vickers said he wanted Della Maddalena to fight unbeaten Irish welterweight Ian Garry.

“Garry seems to have the weight of the promotion behind him, they’re billing him as the next Conor McGregor but I actually think he’s not that good,” Vickers said.

“I’d really like that fight, but I don’t think the UFC would be silly enough to give him to us.”

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