Former UFC champion Eddie Alvarez has some sage advice for Jack Della Maddalena: take a step back, breathe, and rediscover the joy of fighting.

Della Maddalena (18-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) has hit a rough patch after soaring to the top. The Australian welterweight went from an 18-fight win streak and capturing the UFC title to back-to-back losses—first a dominant defeat to Islam Makhachev at UFC 322, then a stoppage loss to Carlos Prates at UFC Fight Night 275 in Perth this past Saturday.

Alvarez knows this territory well. Having gone from UFC champion to a losing skid himself, he understands the mental toll it takes. His prescription? Time off and a mindset shift.

"It's very difficult to climb back and fight guys who aren't as well known, but they're even more dangerous than the well known guys," Alvarez told MMA Junkie. "So, it feels like you're taking a step backwards, and it's a tough spot to be in as a fighter."

The former champion's advice is refreshingly simple: "When you get there to that mountain top, I think the best thing to do is to tell the promotion, 'Hey, I'm taking some time off. I need time to build up gratitude to be able to get my fight again.'"

Alvarez emphasizes that money and rankings shouldn't be the focus right now. Instead, Della Maddalena should "go back to being a rookie in the UFC again" and recapture the excitement and gratitude that fueled his early rise.

"Sometimes that excitement and that gratitude is the defining factor of whether you win them fights," Alvarez added.

Della Maddalena's journey has been a rollercoaster. He shocked the MMA world as an underdog when he dethroned Belal Muhammad to become champion at UFC 315. But after being outgrappled by Makhachev and out-struck by Prates, the former champ now faces a pivotal crossroads in his career.