Jack Della Maddalena anticipated a challenging battle when preparing to face Belal Muhammad at UFC 315, and the fight delivered exactly the intensity he expected.
The competitive, back-and-forth bout ultimately earned Fight of the Night honors. Muhammad had previously indicated he would focus on striking and largely avoid wrestling, a strategy that potentially contributed to his loss, although Della Maddalena wasn`t entirely surprised by this approach.
Speaking at the post-fight press conference, Della Maddalena noted that despite Muhammad`s pre-fight comments about sticking to striking, he had anticipated a more well-rounded attack. He felt he successfully adapted to Muhammad`s actual strategy during their time in the octagon.
While he did concede a few takedowns over the course of the five rounds, Della Maddalena effectively prevented any significant damage on the ground and consistently managed to quickly return to his feet.
Interestingly, Della Maddalena`s own game plan emphasized staying away from the cage, recognizing it as Muhammad`s area of strength. Despite being pressed against the fence multiple times, Della Maddalena found opportunities to land effective strikes whenever Muhammad closed the distance and engaged in close-quarters combat.
He further explained that avoiding cage control was a primary goal, understanding Muhammad`s propensity for pressure. However, he believed he managed to counter effectively by hitting Muhammad and creating space to disengage from the fence.
Della Maddalena acknowledged that he expected a tough fight overall, recognizing Muhammad as a skilled, well-rounded opponent known for his relentless pressure and wrestling base.
By the fifth and final round, with the judges` scorecards potentially close, Della Maddalena was determined to secure a finish and remove any doubt about the outcome.
He came incredibly close to achieving this late stoppage, landing a powerful combination that visibly rocked the now-former champion. Muhammad, however, displayed tremendous durability, absorbing Della Maddalena`s attempts to finish him.
Della Maddalena expressed his aspiration to replicate a late-fight finish similar to his win over Gilbert Burns. He felt a degree of satisfaction for rallying in the final round and making a strong push to stop Muhammad, even if the finish didn`t materialize.
After the fight concluded, Della Maddalena felt uncertain about the judges` decision, but his corner team was confident that he had done enough to secure the win. Their assessment proved correct, as Della Maddalena was declared the winner via decision with scores of 49-46, 48-47, and 48-47, crowning him the UFC champion.
He reiterated that while he felt his performance was solid, leaving the decision to the judges always carries uncertainty. His corner`s immediate confirmation after the fight provided welcome reassurance.
