Welterweight prospect Jack Della Maddalena is set to fight UFC newcomer Josiah Harrell following the withdrawal of his original opponent Sean Brady due to injury.
Jack Della Maddalena, a well-regarded welterweight prospect, is confirmed to fight at UFC 290 after a tense uncertainty. He was initially set to face Sean Brady, but due to Brady’s sudden injury withdrawal, Maddalena will now face UFC newcomer Josiah Harrell. The match is set for Saturday, July 8th, providing Harrell with less than a week’s notice.
Harrell steps in after his third-round knockout of Mike Roberts at LFA 160 on June 16th. He’s a youthful 24-year-old prospect from Ohio and a fierce competitor at both lightweight and welterweight, with all seven of his professional victories ending in knockouts. He now faces a significant competitive jump, going against Maddalena, who boasts a perfect 4-0 UFC record with four first-round stoppages since his debut in the promotion in 2022.
Maddalena solidified a third consecutive UFC post-fight bonus with his most recent win, a first-round submission of Randy Brown at UFC 284. Brady withdrew from the UFC 290 contest last week due to an unfortunate bout of Streptococcus B in his left elbow. Regardless of Brady’s illness, Maddalena is set to face Harrell after veteran UFC middleweight Chris Curtis, who had publicly lobbied for the short-notice opportunity, was ultimately overlooked.
In conclusion, UFC 290 takes center-stage at the T-Mobile Arena this Saturday. The event, which forms the centerpiece of the UFC’s annual International Fight Week festivities, features two title fights: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Yair Rodriguez to unify the featherweight belts, and UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno defending his title against Alexandre Pantoja for the third time.