Jack Della Maddalena reveals failed clash with Carlos Prates at UFC 312: 'I was ready to step up and fight him'

Yesterday at 05:29 PM

Ahead of his return in March, surging welterweight force, Jack Della Maddalena has revealed he attempted to make his return next month at UFC 312 — in an eye-catching clash with surging Brazilian finisher, Carlos Prates — ultimately to no avail.

Della Maddalena, the current number four ranked welterweight contender, is slated to make his first main event outing in the promotion in March, taking on former undisputed champion, Leon Edwards in the headliner of UFC Fight Night London in two months.

Sidelined since last March, Australian fan-favorite contender, Della Maddalena most recently turned in his seventh straight triumph in the Octagon with an eye-catching third round knockout win over former title challenger and Brazilian contender, Gilbert Burns.

And ahead of his clash with Edwards in the UK later this quarter, Dana White’s Contender Series product, Della Maddalena claimed he had attempted to thrash out a fight with Brazilian upstart, Prates for UFC 312 just in a number of weeks time.

Jack Della Maddalena reveals plans for UFC 312 fight with Carlos Prates

“They just couldn’t get the fight. The I’ve none of the the guys in front of me wanted to really fly out to Sydney,” Jack Della Maddalena told Ariel Helwani for Uncrowned.” We started me and not the UFC never came to us, but me and Tim started floating the idea. I didn’t mind the idea of finding Carlos Prates.

“I thought why not? Like, he’s an up-and-comer,” Jack Della Maddalena explained. “Gilbert (Burns) gave me the opportunity. I’ve had a year off. So I was gonna I was probably ready to step in and fight him. You know, I like his style. But then in the UFC, the first fight they came to me, they said, would you rather just fight would you do you wanna fight Leon (Edwards) in London? I just thought, yep. Let’s just take the fight as a big five former champion. Gives me an extra extra few weeks to assure that the arm is strong, and had to jump on it.”