Jack Della Maddalena vs. Bassil Hafez Prediction: Will Della Maddalena Show Out at UFC Fight Night?
In the Welterweight class on Saturday's UFC main card, Jack Della Maddalena takes on Bassil Hafez. Will Della Maddalena show out at UFC Fight Night? Ben Rajavuori shares his best bet for the fight.
Ben Rajavuori
| 7 min
Jack Della Maddalena vs. Bassil Hafez Prediction: Will Della Maddalena Show Out at UFC Fight Night?
After a tumultuous last few weeks, Jack Della Maddalena finally has a fight that has not fallen through, and the brave man opposing the rising prospect is Bassil Hafez. Della Maddalena had two separate opponents scheduled to fight last week, but both had to pull out for medical reasons. Hafez has stepped up and joined the UFC for this fight to try and pull off the upset. Hafez is rightfully the biggest underdog on the card, as Della Maddalena is -600 to win.
Della Maddalena vs. Hafez Start Time and Where to Watch
When: Saturday, July 15, 2023
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
Where: UFC APEX, Las Vegas, NV
Where to Watch: ESPN, ESPN+
Jack Della Maddalena vs. Bassil Hafez Prediction
Hafez, fighting out of Pennsylvania, brings a record of 8-3-1 to the table. Holding titles in both Fury FC and CFFC welterweight divisions, Hafez has showcased his skills and determination throughout his career while waiting for his chance to make it to the UFC. With his debut in the UFC coming on short notice, he aims to make an immediate impact and prove himself against the highly regarded Della Maddalena. It is a low-risk and high-reward situation because just about no one expects him to win, but if he pulls it off, he will instantly have a giant win under his belt to propel him forward.
Della Maddalena's prowess as a boxer has quickly turned heads and made him an exciting prospect in the welterweight division. While he predominantly fights in a southpaw stance, he frequently switches his stance, keeping opponents guessing. His relentless body attacks work in stride, switching his opponent's eye level and unleashing devastating head strikes that catch his opponent off guard.
In addition to his striking, Della Maddalena possesses a solid defensive game. He patiently assesses his opponent's speed and timing, maintaining a tight guard and effectively countering their punches. Della Maddalena is an excellent counter striker in this regard, as he can read opponents better than most fighters who only have a few UFC fights under their belt.
Meanwhile, Hafez presents a well-rounded skill set, excelling in kickboxing and jiu-jitsu. Like Maddalena, he often switches stances and possesses significant knockout power in his right hand. However, Hafez occasionally becomes entangled in a head-hunting contest, sacrificing defense and leaving himself susceptible to body kicks and well-timed uppercuts beneath his guard.
Hafez is well-rounded, and he has built a decent resume on the regional scene to build a solid potential UFC career. However, this is a very tough ask in a debut, and Hafez has to take on one of the fastest-rising prospects at the moment. Due to this, I think Hafez will take a lot of risks in this fight. He was already a bit of a risky fighter, which will only be magnified here. Hafez knows he is a huge underdog and has talked about it all week in fighter interviews. Hafez knows in his mind he has to take a chance to win this fight, and if he wins, it has to be by knockout. That aggression and mindset will either somehow pay off, and he pulls off the biggest upset on the card, or he will quickly get his lights turned off by Della Maddalena.
The result will most likely be the latter, but we have seen crazy things happen in the octagon. Hafez is no slouch, and he definitely has a puncher's chance here. Maddalena is still young and improving, even if he is the better fighter here. Therefore, my favorite bet is for the fight to end in round one. Either Hafez's aggression pays off, or he gets countered. This fight will likely be over within the first few minutes with a brutal KO either way.
Jack Della Maddalena vs. Bassil Hafez Pick
Pick: Fight Ends in Round One -150 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds for this pick
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