Jack Della Maddalena’s path to UFC welterweight gold was nearly derailed by something far more sinister than an opponent’s right hand. After breaking his arm in the opening round of his March 2024 war with Gilbert Burns at UFC 299, Della Maddalena powered through the pain to score a dramatic third-round knockout. The X-ray that followed, his arm bent in ways nature never intended but the real trouble was just beginning.
Jack Della Maddalena’s Arm Injury
What should have been a routine recovery quickly spiraled into a medical nightmare. In a recent sit-down interview, the welterweight world champion explained:
“It was supposed to be simple—you know, broken arm, plate in, 6 to 12 weeks.