Aussie Jack Della Maddalena calls up welterweight Sean Brady to fight him in Sydney after the American pulled out of their Vegas UFC bout with a staph infection
- Officially, Brady retires with an elbow infection, but Aussie isn’t buying it
- UFC boss Dana White has yet to approve September fight
- MRI scan may have saved another rival’s life
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Jack Della Maddalena, Australia’s rising UFC superstar, looks destined for a long wait after not one, but two world-class fighters pulled out of fights scheduled against him this weekend.
The UFC Rookie Of The Year, who has an impressive 14-2 MMA record and a relentless right hand, was scheduled to fight world number eight Sean Brady of the United States on July 8 in Las Vegas.
But 10 days ago Brady [15-1 MMA record] sensationally backed down, claiming a staph infection to his left elbow had sidelined him.
Then his replacement, American rival Josiah Harrell, withdrew just hours after today’s official weigh-in with a rare disease that results in clogged arteries at the base of the brain.
This prompted the Aussie to say at his weigh-in yesterday, “Well, he [Brady] owes me a fight now.
“I came all this way to fight him so now he can fight me in Australia on September 10th.”
Not one but two opponents have pulled out of fights with rising Aussie UFC star Jack Della Maddalena in a week (pictured)
The Aussie was supposed to fight American welterweight star Sean Brady (15-1) pictured here, but he has an infection on his left elbow, so he pulled out
This isn’t the first time Sean Brady has pulled out of a fight. He would also step into the cage with Michel Pereira [28-11 MMA] in March, but had to withdraw due to injury.
It has left Della Maddalena frustrated and battleless in Vegas, though he hopes UFC boss Dana White will sign on for a rescheduling of the fight in Australia.
Brady’s replacement Harrell – aka Muscle Hamster – is an Ohio wrestler who is undefeated in all seven professional appearances and touts a potential up-and-coming superstar of the sport.
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He went viral last month when an opponent was knocked down by a monster through a steel cage door.
But Harrell has reluctantly pulled out as a mandatory pre-fight MRI showed he has brain-related medical issues.
“Josiah Harrell’s brain MRI may have saved his life,” said Harrell’s manager Maurice Blanco.
“He was diagnosed with moyamoya syndrome, a rare disease that results in clogged arteries at the base of the brain. He’s undergoing brain surgery soon.’
Della Maddalena, who boasts a 14-2 record, is considered an amazingly strong puncher
Della Maddalena in this UFC 284 fight against Jamaican Randy Brown, punched his opponent into submission
Just before Harrell’s shocking diagnosis, the Aussie was still annoyed at Brady’s withdrawal.
Speak with Fox Sports Australia earlier this week, the Perth resident insisted that Brady owed him a confrontation in Sydney after saying that Brady had ‘s…the bed’ as the main reason for backing down.
‘If he [Brady] can’t fight me now, then let’s watch UFC 293 in Sydney in September,” he said.
Sean Brady is a good test for me.
“It’s a cool fight, it makes sense and a lot of people want to see it happen.
“Sean Brady was a young prospect last year and even though he had that tough loss (to Muhammad), it’s a great test for me.”
Brady had stunningly won 15 fights in a row before Belal Muhammad relentlessly chased him into the ring during their recent fight, snapping him in the face at every opportunity.
“So now we can postpone the fight for a few weeks and go to Sydney.”
“I came here and he’s the reason the fight didn’t happen.
“So yeah, I feel like he owes me.”
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