A little over a month ago, Jack Della Maddalena, a knockout sensation in the welterweight division, was gearing up for his first shot at a UFC title. His journey in the UFC has been nothing short of spectacular with seven consecutive wins, five of which ended in knockouts. At UFC 315 scheduled for May 10 in Montreal, Canada, he’ll face off against Belal Muhammad. This isn’t just another fight for Della Maddalena; “The Bully” hasn’t tasted defeat since 2019, marking a significant leap in competition. To bolster his chances, Della Maddalena’s team had plans to organize a fundraiser to fly his entire coaching and training crew from Australia to North America.
Traveling from Australia isn’t exactly budget-friendly and, historically, the UFC doesn’t splurge on travel expenses, often covering costs for just one coach or cornerman. Though Muhammad poked fun at Della Maddalena’s efforts, the reality is, many fighters often resort to unconventional methods to fund their training camps.
However, in a twist, it turns out this wasn’t a typical fundraiser. According to Damon Martin from MMAFighting, who reached out to Della Maddalena’s management team, there was a mix-up. “JDM” had actually been paid to show up at an event that was advertised as a fundraiser. This promotion was made without Della Maddalena’s consent or awareness, leading to the event being called off.
Interestingly, the blunder prompted several fans to cry foul, suspecting something fishy. Some speculated whether UFC execs, including Dana White, might have been displeased with the optics of a top fighter appearing to rally for travel funds, which isn’t a scenario likely in leagues like the NFL or NBA.
Below are a few reactions to the revelation:
“Kiss the ring! The last thing JDM wants is for DW to be mad at him for that negative story about how cheap the UFC is.”
“Yeah, I’m calling nonsense. Did the UFC issue this ‘correction’? The original announcement looked legit.”
“Looks like the UFC had a serious chat with Jack’s team—this sounds like a cover-up.”
“Imagine a top athlete in any other major sport needing a GoFundMe to fly family for a championship—it’s laughable.”
“‘Hey kid, I need you to delete that post’ – Dana White to Jack.”
“They’re just trying to cover their tracks so it doesn’t look like they’re publicly complaining about the UFC and risk any backlash.”
So, what’s your take, fellow fight fans? Was this just a simple slip-up, or is there more going on behind the scenes?
