The main event of UFC 315 delivered a thrilling contest between Jack Della Maddalena and Belal Muhammad. Both fighters earned considerable praise from their peers for their performance, regardless of the final result.
The consensus among observers was overwhelmingly “What a fight,” a fitting description for the five-round battle during which Della Maddalena and Muhammad exchanged heavy blows. Ultimately, Della Maddalena emerged victorious by unanimous decision in what was primarily a striking display, securing the UFC welterweight championship.
This title shot represented a significant turn of events for Della Maddalena. He was originally scheduled to face Leon Edwards in March but was instead moved to challenge Muhammad after top contender Shavkat Rakhmonov withdrew due to injury. Much of the pre-fight conversation focused not on the matchup itself, but rather on the potential implications for Islam Makhachev`s future plans. Speculation centered on whether a win for his close friend Muhammad would deter Makhachev from moving up, potentially leading him to face Ilia Topuria at UFC 317, or if a loss for Muhammad would open the door for Makhachev to pursue a fight against the welterweight champion, Della Maddalena.
Following the conclusion of the fight, it appears Makhachev is prepared to act on these potential plans. He tweeted a clear message: “Time to become a double champion. Let’s go.”
