Jack Della Maddalena delivered a punishing performance to overcome Belal Muhammad and claim the welterweight championship in a hard-fought main event at UFC 315 in Montreal.
The Australian striker demonstrated significant improvement during his time away from the octagon, battering Muhammad with a diverse and powerful striking attack that would likely finish most opponents. However, Muhammad displayed remarkable durability, absorbing significant damage while continuously pressing forward throughout the five-round contest.
The deciding factor ultimately came down to the volume and impact of Della Maddalena`s strikes, securing him the decision victory with judges scoring the bout 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46 in his favor.
“It feels exactly how I thought it would,” Della Maddalena commented after becoming the new champion. “It feels f*cking good. 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 desired outcome for Muhammad, he engaged in a memorable war but was ultimately unable to match Della Maddalena`s superior striking skills.
Della Maddalena`s striking advantage was evident early, as he effectively used his lead jab. Muhammad responded with a well-timed overhand right. With Muhammad initially hesitant to pursue takedowns, Della Maddalena targeted the legs before returning to head strikes.
Late in the first round, Muhammad attempted wrestling but instead landed several heavy punches on Della Maddalena before disengaging.
Upon resuming, Della Maddalena unleashed powerful right hands, repeatedly connecting with Muhammad`s chin. Despite this, Muhammad seemed determined to stand and trade, attempting to find his rhythm with combinations.
Entering the third round, Della Maddalena exuded confidence, showcasing excellent head movement and landing sharp boxing combinations. His jab continued to find its mark, while Muhammad replied with increased power behind his punches.
When Muhammad closed the distance, he landed his own strikes, but Della Maddalena was quick to counter. Muhammad briefly attempted a takedown but opted for more punches, with Della Maddalena trading back effectively.
Muhammad`s aggression continued, but his willingness to exchange heavy blows played into Della Maddalena`s hands. While Muhammad was slightly more active and attempted takedowns, Della Maddalena`s shots carried more impact.
After exchanging heavy shots, including a knee that caused a cut on Muhammad`s face, Muhammad finally secured his best takedown of the fight. However, he couldn`t capitalize on the position, and Della Maddalena quickly returned to his feet.
As Muhammad pressed forward, Della Maddalena landed a devastating combination that appeared to significantly hurt the Chicago fighter. Recognizing time was short, Della Maddalena poured on the pressure in the final moments, ensuring he would leave Montreal as the new welterweight champion.
It was a stunning performance from Della Maddalena, but his focus quickly shifted to his next likely challenge: UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, who plans to move up to 170 pounds now that his teammate is no longer the champion.
“I think it`s a beautiful challenge,” Della Maddalena stated regarding a potential bout with Makhachev. “He`s pound-for-pound No. 1. I`m going to get him back for [Alexander Volkanovski].”
