Jack Della Maddalena delivered a relentless performance to defeat Belal Muhammad and claim the welterweight championship in a grueling main event at UFC 315 in Montreal.
Despite being out of the cage for over a year, the Australian fighter appeared improved, overwhelming Muhammad with a powerful array of strikes that would likely have finished many opponents. However, Muhammad displayed incredible resilience, absorbing significant punishment and continuously pressuring Della Maddalena throughout the full five rounds.
Ultimately, the fight was decided by the significant damage Della Maddalena inflicted, earning him a decision victory with judges` scores of 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46.
Della Maddalena commented on his win after becoming the new champion:
“It’s exactly how I thought it would feel. It feels f*cking good,” he said. “I knew I had to be smart on my feet. I should have been a bit sharper with the shots.”
He added regarding his opponent:
“Coming in there against someone like Belal with that pressure wrestling, I knew I had to be smart. I thought I was ahead, I wanted to take him out of there. Belal’s the man, he’s a tough dude. Australia we got three of these babies let’s go!”
Although the outcome wasn`t what Muhammad hoped for, he fought bravely in an intense contest but was ultimately outmatched by Della Maddalena`s superior striking skills.
Della Maddalena`s striking advantage was evident from the start. He landed a sharp lead jab, while Muhammad responded with a timely overhand right that found its target. Seeing Muhammad hesitant to pursue takedowns, Della Maddalena incorporated kicks to the legs before targeting the head.
In the final 90 seconds of the first round, Muhammad attempted to initiate grappling but quickly abandoned the takedown, instead landing several solid punches on Della Maddalena before separating.
Following the break, Della Maddalena began landing his right hand with significant force, repeatedly connecting with Muhammad`s chin. Despite this, Muhammad appeared determined to trade strikes, attempting to find success with his own combinations.
By the third round, Della Maddalena exuded confidence, showcasing effective head movement and landing sharp boxing combinations on Muhammad. Della Maddalena`s jab consistently found its mark, prompting Muhammad to respond with more powerful counters.
When Muhammad managed to close the distance, he landed strikes effectively, but Della Maddalena was always quick to counter. Muhammad attempted a takedown from this position but ultimately decided to exchange more punches, with Della Maddalena hitting back just as hard.
Muhammad maintained his aggression, but his willingness to exchange heavy blows played into Della Maddalena`s hands. Muhammad landed slightly higher volume, staying busy while also seeking opportunities to take the fight to the ground.
After trading powerful strikes, including a knee that caused a cut on Muhammad`s face, Muhammad finally achieved his most successful takedown of the bout. However, he was unable to keep Della Maddalena down, who quickly returned to his feet.
As Muhammad pressed forward, Della Maddalena landed a devastating combination that seemed to significantly hurt his opponent. Recognizing time was limited, Della Maddalena intensified his attack, ensuring he left Montreal as the new welterweight champion.
Della Maddalena`s victory was impressive, but attention quickly turned to his likely next opponent: UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, who plans to move up to welterweight now that his friend and frequent training partner is no longer holding the title.
Della Maddalena commented on the potential matchup:
“I think it`s a beautiful challenge,” he stated about facing Makhachev. “He`s pound-for-pound No. 1. I`m going to get him back for [Alexander Volkanovski].”
