Jack Della Maddalena defied expectations, delivering a punishing performance to defeat Belal Muhammad and capture the welterweight championship in a hard-fought battle that headlined UFC 315 in Montreal.
The Australian fighter, returning after more than a year away from the Octagon, appeared sharper than ever. He battered Muhammad with a devastating array of strikes that would have likely stopped most opponents. However, Muhammad displayed incredible resilience, absorbing potent shots and continuously pressing forward, giving Della Maddalena a tough challenge over five rounds.
Ultimately, the difference lay in the sheer volume and impact of Della Maddalena`s offense, securing him the decision victory with judges scoring the fight 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46 in his favor.
“It’s exactly how I thought it would feel. It feels f*cking good,” Della Maddalena said after becoming the new UFC welterweight champion. “I knew I had to be smart on my feet. I should have been a bit sharper with the shots.
“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!”
While not the outcome Muhammad desired, he participated in a compelling contest but ultimately couldn`t match Della Maddalena`s superior striking skills.
Della Maddalena`s striking advantage was evident early. He established a sharp lead jab while Muhammad responded with a well-timed overhand right. With Muhammad initially not pursuing takedowns, Della Maddalena targeted the legs before transitioning strikes back to the head.
In the final minute and a half of the opening round, Muhammad briefly attempted wrestling but abandoned the takedown, instead landing a couple of strong punches before creating distance.
Upon restarting, Della Maddalena began throwing his right hand with significant power, repeatedly connecting with Muhammad`s chin. Despite this, Muhammad seemed intent on staying standing, attempting to find his rhythm with combinations.
As the fight entered the third round, Della Maddalena exuded confidence, showcasing excellent head movement and landing crisp boxing combinations. His jab consistently found its mark, though Muhammad countered with increasingly powerful punches of his own.
When Muhammad closed the distance, he landed strikes, but Della Maddalena was quick to fire back. Muhammad used these moments to feint takedowns, but often chose to exchange punches, with Della Maddalena effectively returning fire.
Muhammad`s aggression persisted, and his willingness to trade heavy blows allowed Della Maddalena to land equally, if not more, effectively. Muhammad maintained a slightly higher volume and continued attempting to bring the fight to the ground.
After exchanging powerful shots on the feet, including a knee that opened a cut on Muhammad`s face, Muhammad finally secured his most significant takedown. However, Della Maddalena quickly exploded back to his feet before Muhammad could capitalize.
As Muhammad continued advancing, Della Maddalena landed a devastating combination that appeared to hurt the Chicago native. Recognizing the opportunity with time winding down, Della Maddalena poured on the pressure, ensuring he left Montreal as the new welterweight champion.
It was a truly impressive performance from Della Maddalena, but his focus quickly shifted. He immediately anticipated his next likely challenge: UFC lightweight king Islam Makhachev, who plans to move up to the welterweight division now that his teammate Belal Muhammad is no longer champion.
“I think it’s a beautiful challenge,” Della Maddalena commented on a potential fight with Makhachev. “He’s pound-for-pound No. 1. I’m going to get him back for [Alexander Volkanovski].”
