Jack Della Maddalena defied expectations with a punishing performance, overcoming Belal Muhammad in a tough five-round war to become the new welterweight champion at UFC 315 in Montreal.
The Australian striking specialist demonstrated significant improvement after over a year away from competition, unleashing a devastating arsenal that would have likely finished most opponents. However, Muhammad displayed incredible resilience, absorbing heavy blows yet constantly pushing forward and testing Della Maddalena throughout the entire five-round contest.
The decisive factor ultimately came down to the volume and effectiveness of Della Maddalena`s strikes. He secured the decision victory with the judges scoring the bout 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46 in his favor.
“It’s exactly how I thought it would feel. It feels f**king good,” Della Maddalena stated after being crowned champion. “I knew I had to be smart on my feet. I should have been a bit sharper with the shots.”
He continued, “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 this was clearly not the outcome Muhammad desired, he fought valiantly in a remarkable battle but ultimately couldn`t keep pace with Della Maddalena`s superior striking.
Della Maddalena`s striking advantage was evident from the start, as he established an effective lead jab. Muhammad responded with well-timed overhand rights that found their mark. With Muhammad hesitant to attempt takedowns early, Della Maddalena began mixing in leg kicks before targeting the head.
With less than 90 seconds remaining in the opening round, Muhammad finally initiated grappling, but instead of pursuing the takedown, he landed several sharp punches on Della Maddalena before separating from the cage.
Following the restart, Della Maddalena began unleashing his right hand with significant power, repeatedly connecting with Muhammad`s chin. Despite absorbing these shots, Muhammad seemed determined to stay standing and exchange blows, attempting to land his own combinations.
As the fight progressed into the third round, Della Maddalena appeared increasingly confident, displaying excellent head movement and landing crisp boxing combinations. His jab consistently landed, though Muhammad countered with more powerful return fire.
When Muhammad succeeded in closing the distance, he landed effective strikes, but Della Maddalena was quick to react and fire back. Muhammad then feinted a takedown, opting instead to trade more punches, with Della Maddalena hitting him back immediately.
Muhammad maintained his aggressive approach, but his willingness to stand and exchange heavy blows allowed Della Maddalena to match his output. Muhammad held a slight edge in volume while also continuing his efforts to take Della Maddalena to the canvas.
After trading tough shots, including a knee that opened a cut on Muhammad`s face, Muhammad secured his most effective takedown of the fight. However, he was unable to capitalize on the position, and Della Maddalena quickly scrambled back to his feet.
As Muhammad continued to press forward, Della Maddalena landed a devastating combination that visibly stunned the Chicago native. Sensing the fight was nearing its conclusion, Della Maddalena intensified his attack, ensuring he would leave Montreal as the new welterweight champion.
This was a truly impressive performance from Della Maddalena, but his thoughts quickly shifted to the future. His next likely challenge is UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, who plans to move up to 170 pounds.
Regarding a potential fight with Makhachev, Della Maddalena stated, “I think it’s a beautiful challenge. He’s pound-for-pound No. 1. I’m going to get him back for [Alexander Volkanovski].”
