A welterweight title fight took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City as part of the UFC 322 tournament. Russian fighter Islam Makhachev faced current champion Jack Della Maddalena from Australia.

Makhachev won by unanimous decision with a score of 50–45, 50–45, 50–45. Throughout all five rounds, the Russian successfully landed takedowns, which the Australian was unable to effectively defend against. Makhachev was unable to finish the fight early; the bout lasted the entire distance.

After this victory, Makhachev's record stood at 28 wins and 1 loss. The Russian secured his 16th consecutive victory. Maddalena suffered his first defeat after a 19-fight winning streak.

In May 2025, the 34-year-old Makhachev left the lightweight division, where he was the reigning champion, to attempt to win the title in a second weight class.