“I lean with it [Maddalena beating Makhachev]. He obviously showed that he is highly capable of fighting a wrestler in the Belal [Muhammad] fight, and that's a very strong wrestler in itself... He is smart about it, he knows you can't avoid the wrestling, you have to meet it head on, you have to lead the wrestling, you have to counter wrestle with him.”

– via Home of Fight interview

“Jack Della, that's a big boy. I've stood next to Jack Della a few times, and you could chop one of his legs and he's still not going to make lightweight. He is a legitimate welterweight problem. And that takes away a lot of Islam's advantages, but coming in there being a big lightweight, being a strong lightweight it kind of levels the playing field a bit.”

– via Home of Fight interview

“Credit to him for stepping up to the plate and coming up to welterweight. Definitely got my respect for being able to move up a weight class and fight Jack Della.“It’s something that even the greatest lightweight of all time, Khabib, never managed to chase that accomplishment of being a two division champion. So credit to him but it is a huge ask.”

– via Sky Sports NZ