Jack Della Maddalena has prepared himself for a 25-minute battle as he attempts to scale the UFC mountain once more, after his welterweight title reign lasted just 188 days.
The 29-year-old Australian begins his path back to another title shot on Saturday night [AEST] in Perth, his hometown, when he steps into the Octagon at RAC Arena. Awaiting him in the main event is Brazilian Carlos Prates, who sits a full six places below him on ESPN's welterweight rankings.
Such a rankings gap might suggest a soft landing for Della Maddalena, who suffered a demoralizing loss to Islam Makhachev in New York City last November, but the Australian is aware of the threats that Prates poses and the very real reality he may have to go the full five rounds to get the job done.
Saturday night's fight also affords Della Maddalena the opportunity to wipe the slate clean, after all three judges scored his defeat by Makhachev 50-45, a result the Australian could have few complaints with given the now two-division champion enjoyed an incredible 19 minutes and 10 seconds of fight control.
So how does one plot a path back after such a listless defeat?
"Yeah, obviously to achieve that goal [the title] was a big, big thing that we'd set and then achieved," Della Maddalena told ESPN when asked about his short title reign. "But I like competition. I like all the fighters in the division, they all present different challenges, so I sort of just look at it as if I was the champ, I'd be fighting these people.
"So I'm just still excited for the matchups that are in front of me, different challenges that the different styles present; still just looking at each individual fight and how it presents different challenges that we're looking to overcome. And obviously, yeah, then I guess just building back to get another shot at getting the world title would be the dream."
One man who knows what it's like to lose a title, so too suffer a defeat [two] by Makhachev, is Della Maddalena's fellow Australian, Alexander Volkanovski. The two-time featherweight champion is also in Perth this week, and hopes to square away his next title defence with the UFC brass.
Volkanovski confirmed he'd had a brief chat with Della Maddalena about his welterweight title defeat, and backed his countryman to make the necessary adjustments to earn himself another shot at the belt.
"Obviously, it wasn't the way he would have liked the fight to go," Volkanovski told ESPN. "But he knows that if he gets that chance again, he can make a fix to all of those problems.
"So he's all good. He just knows he needs to go out there and do his thing this weekend and then he might be right back in [a title fight]."
What Della Maddalena does have on his side is time. At only 29, his best years in the UFC could very well still be ahead of him, and he need look no further than 37-year-old Volkanovski for inspiration.
"I still feel like I'm learning, I still feel like I'm getting better day by day," Della Maddalena said. "I'm improving in different areas of the game and I still feel like I'm getting better. I still feel like I'm on the way to the peak.
"I don't think I've peaked yet. I still think I've got more to give and the body's still good, I'm still hungry to compete, still motivated. I'm excited to give more.
"So yeah, a small bump in the road, but looking to get back to the peak."
The journey back up Della Maddalena's own Mount Everest starts against Prates, who defeated another former welterweight champion in Leon Edwards the same night the Australian lost the strap.
"I think just focus, someone like Prates can really turn off your switch in any moment," Della Maddalena said of the Brazilian. "The whole 25 minutes have to be completely switched on.
"I think that's going to be important, just being focused the whole time... I expect a 25-minute battle. He's a hard man to put away. So, yeah, I believe it's going to go the full distance.
"I think the fans are going to get a 25-minute battle."