Jack Della Maddalena earns career-defining victory over UFC superstar Kevin Holland as Aussie prospect calls for main event slot after Las Vegas win

Rising UFC welterweight star Jack Della Maddalena considers himself primed for a main event after claiming the biggest scalp of his career with a split-decision points victory over American Kevin Holland in Las Vegas.

The 27-year-old West Australian, who is ranked 14th, one place below his opponent, had a 29-28 lead on two cards, with the other judge recording a similar score in favor of the Netherlands.

Della Maddalena improved to 6-0 in the UFC and 16-2 in his MMA career, having won 16 straight since beginning his professional journey with two losses in 2016.

The Australian showed great patience and good decision-making and scored well when supporting the much larger Netherlands.

Della Maddalena landed some good right hands throughout the fight and closed out the show with a few late flurries in the final round.

The 27-year-old defeated American superstar Kevin Holland via split decision

He seemed to have shaded the first round, while Holland was more active in the second, firing several accurate kicks.

The American used his kicks to keep Della Maddalena at bay, but the Australian was unfazed and controlled the exchanges as he closed the distance, stepped into the pocket and supported his opponent.

It was a second straight split-decision win for Della Maddalena after powering past Bassil Hafez in July.

“It’s another close one, I want to go back and watch and then judge, but my team is pretty sure I won every round, but it was a tight round,” said Della Maddalena.

“I thought I was winning, I feel like I was pushing the pace and landing the harder shots.

“If someone has enough range, it’s a tough game to try to get inside. I feel like I did a pretty good job.

“I have to try not to get my head splashed around the cage, I wanted to be defensively sound and pick my own shots.”

‘I’m feeling good. I probably want to get another one in before the end of the year.”

When asked if he was ready for his first five-round UFC fight, Della Maddalena said, “I feel like I could have done two more rounds with Kevin.”

The Australian wants to headline a UFC card in his next appearance

Della Maddalena admitted that he was distracted by Holland talking to him during the fight.

“I like going in there and I have a bit of a killer instinct, but he talks, he’s quite a likeable guy,” Della Maddalena said.

The fight was the co-main event on the Noche UFC card on Mexican Independence Day.

In an action-packed main event, Mexico’s Alexa Grasso retained the women’s flyweight title with a split draw against Kyrgyzstan’s Valentina Shevchenko, the fighter from whom she took the belt last March.