News Islam Makhachev vs Jack Della - UFC 322:MSG - Nov 2025

[rjmbrd]

I definitely don't foresee any major size advantage for JDM, at least not meaningfully so.

They've both fought in California and CSAC publishes fight night weights:

- Islam was 178lbs at UFC 311 in the cage.

- Jack was 189lbs at UFC 270 in the cage.

Both guys are bone dry when they weigh in with visible abs throughout. So you're looking at ~11lbs difference in lean body mass. That is a very big gap in combat sports.

 

[usernamee]

They've both fought in California and CSAC publishes fight night weights:

- Islam was 178lbs at UFC 311 in the cage.

- Jack was 189lbs at UFC 270 in the cage.

Both guys are bone dry when they weigh in with visible abs throughout. So you're looking at ~11lbs difference in lean body mass. That is a very big gap in combat sports.

Islam looks like death on the scale at 155 and JDM doesn't cut quite as hard so I wouldn't call their leanness level absolutely even. And now Islam will have spent time putting on a bit of muscle as well to even it out.

But I have no real fucking idea to be honest. I would honestly need to see them in person and preferably feel them out (yes homo) to get a sense of their bone structure to know.

 

[mogul]

Islam was struggling with DP

Tough fight

 

[Dionysian]

Rooting for Islam solely so we can get the biggest fight in the universe of Ilia vs Islam at 170. Imagine how insane that'd be. PFP #1a and #1b competing for all the marbles when both got double champ status. Literally never happened before.

JDM is the real deal though.

 

[BroScienceTalkatWork]

Maybe I'll be surprised when the fight happens and it's not absolute Islam domination. I've been waiting for someone to test him, expected Arman or Topuria to do that. The size argument has been overblown lately, many have been using the logic that slightly bigger is enough to close gap in skills. JDM will be a bigger WW. But I think Islam will be average sized.

We'll see though, I think if JDM pulls this off I'm never doubting him again. WW is pretty stacked right now.

JDM is an average sized WW. Islam will be one of the smaller ones like Ian Garry

 

[rjmbrd]

Islam looks like death on the scale at 155

JDM physically cannot make a scale read 155lbs. He would be hospitalized with an acute kidney injury

and JDM doesn't cut quite as hard so I wouldn't call their leanness level absolutely even. And now Islam will have spent time putting on a bit of muscle as well to even it out.

Sure thats fair, so lets say Islam is drawing out 2lbs more water. That would still leave 9lbs delta of lean mass in-cage weight published by CSAC. In combat sports (in competitive divisions with both guys are in great shape) that is a huge disadvantage.

But I have no real fucking idea to be honest. I would honestly need to see them in person and preferably feel them out (yes homo) to get a sense of their bone structure to know.

lmao

 

[nostradumbass]

Not even sure JDM has much of an advantage striking, let alone if Islam decides to grapple. Islam's apparently not putting on weight as easily as he hoped, so maybe JDM will have enough of a size advantage to muscle out of some grappling exchanges, but Islam opening as the -200 favorite sounds about right.

Rooting for Islam solely so we can get the biggest fight in the universe of Ilia vs Islam at 170. Imagine how insane that'd be. PFP #1a and #1b competing for all the marbles when both got double champ status. Literally never happened before.

JDM is the real deal though.

Do we know Ilia's going to sit out and wait and that they'll give him a title shot in a 3rd division within 10 UFC fights? If he has to fight Arman first, the odds of Arman winning that are better than of JDM beating Islam. They might give him Paddy or Gaethje just to say he defended the title to set up the fight, even though none of his fights at LW were against the #1 contender.

 

[b00tysweat]

JDM physically cannot make a scale read 155lbs. He would be hospitalized with an acute kidney injury



Sure thats fair, so lets say Islam is drawing out 2lbs more water. That would still leave 9lbs delta of lean mass in-cage weight published by CSAC. In combat sports (in competitive divisions with both guys are in great shape) that is a huge disadvantage.

why do you act like muscle is impossible to increase?

Islam is going to look thikk at 170

 

[Gregoire1]

Who are you picking?

This is a bizarre comparison but Jones x DC 1 gave me a rare heightened anxiousness in the lead up because my brain could not contemplate either of them losing an MMA fight. I had that feeling about this fight when it was announced.

I re-watched JDM x Belal and man... I have a hard time thinking Islam can take those punches. Holy shit Belal is made of bricks.

Agree about feeling before Jones vs DC 1. I only felt the same about Cain vs JDS 1. But now we have 2 such fights (Islam vs JDM and DDP vs Chimaev)

 

[AmonTobin]

I need to see a face off and size comparison before I can even begin to really process this match.

 

[Arcticman]

As usual islam will be doubted and backed against by the same dumbasses and will look stupid when he wins again.

 

[Istryker]

I re-watched JDM x Belal and man... I have a hard time thinking Islam can take those punches. Holy shit Belal is made of bricks.

You're not the only one especially since Islam got finished before

 

[Pierce 34]

I think JDM beats the brakes off Islam. As a Makhachev fan

 

[Black9]

Not even sure JDM has much of an advantage striking, let alone if Islam decides to grapple. Islam's apparently not putting on weight as easily as he hoped, so maybe JDM will have enough of a size advantage to muscle out of some grappling exchanges, but Islam opening as the -200 favorite sounds about right.



Do we know Ilia's going to sit out and wait and that they'll give him a title shot in a 3rd division within 10 UFC fights? If he has to fight Arman first, the odds of Arman winning that are better than of JDM beating Islam. They might give him Paddy or Gaethje just to say he defended the title to set up the fight, even though none of his fights at LW were against the #1 contender.

I need to see a face off and size comparison before I can even begin to really process this match.

I think we're severely overestimating how "big" JDM is.

Islam was/is about the same size if not bigger than Belal and Belal was only marginally "smaller"

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

Islam's apparently not putting on weight as easily as he hoped

I don’t know where you got that or whether it’s true, but it never ceases to amaze me how high level athletes who know way more about this shit than me don’t understand you can’t just decide to put on a bunch of muscle when you’ve already lifted your entire life

The classic example is GSP almost destroying his gut trying to stuff his face, only to gain 0 meaningful lean mass because he’s a natural guy who has lifted for at least a decade plus and has already put on as much muscle as he naturally, realistically could

Islam will go in more or less the same size, just a bit more body fat, and won’t have to cut as much weight… which is nice, but if he was thinking he was gonna go into the fight with an extra 5 lbs. of muscle he doesn’t know how this shit works lol

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

I think we're severely overestimating how "big" JDM is.

Islam was/is about the same size if not bigger than Belal and Belal was only marginally "smaller"

Islam is not the same size or bigger than Belal

Islam is about as big of a 155 as you can get, and JDM is a solid sized WW, so no, it’s not the biggest size advantage we’ve ever seen, but it’s certainly a significant factor in the fight

 

[Black9]

Islam is not the same size or bigger than Belal

Islam is about as big of a 155 as you can get, and JDM is a solid sized WW, so no, it’s not the biggest size advantage we’ve ever seen, but it’s certainly a significant factor in the fight

JDM is an average sized WW. Islam will be one of the smaller ones like Ian Garry

They've both fought in California and CSAC publishes fight night weights:

- Islam was 178lbs at UFC 311 in the cage.

- Jack was 189lbs at UFC 270 in the cage.

Both guys are bone dry when they weigh in with visible abs throughout. So you're looking at ~11lbs difference in lean body mass. That is a very big gap in combat sports.

Again, i agree JDM is "bigger", but its very marginal IMO. Size isn't a MASSIVE factor in this fight. Speed/Footwork of JDM is.

Islam is slightly bigger than Belal when they stand next to eachother.



When JDM and Belal faced off it was an extremely small difference

 

[Orochimaru 大蛇丸]

Again, i agree JDM is "bigger", but its very marginal IMO. Size isn't a MASSIVE factor in this fight. Speed/Footwork of JDM is.

Islam is slightly bigger than Belal when they stand next to eachother.

View attachment 1106902

When JDM and Belal faced off it was an extremely small difference

I know that’s what you’re going by, and it means nothing, someone can look the same size in a t shirt and be 15 lbs. heavier

 

[nostradumbass]

I don’t know where you got that or whether it’s true, but it never ceases to amaze me how high level athletes who know way more about this shit than me don’t understand you can’t just decide to put on a bunch of muscle when you’ve already lifted your entire life

The classic example is GSP almost destroying his gut trying to stuff his face, only to gain 0 meaningful lean mass because he’s a natural guy who has lifted for at least a decade plus and has already put on as much muscle as he naturally, realistically could

Islam will go in more or less the same size, just a bit more body fat, and won’t have to cut as much weight… which is nice, but if he was thinking he was gonna go into the fight with an extra 5 lbs. of muscle he doesn’t know how this shit works lol

That's what he said maybe 3-4 weeks ago in an interview. Said he's been around the same size his whole adult life so he's only been able to put on a couple lbs cause he doesn't want to just eat a bunch of junk to put on slop weight.

He might show up around 185 lbs on fight night and JDM will likely have about 5 lbs on him, which is noticeable but not insurmountable.

 

[JonnyBonesPharmacist]

Everyone acting like JDM is so damn good. You all realize he hasn't defended the title once, and, on fight night, there will be no size difference. Mak gonna wreck him