Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker recently shared his views on Belal Muhammad`s strategic approach during his welterweight title bout against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315.
Muhammad ultimately lost the fight via unanimous decision in the main event. Della Maddalena delivered a standout performance, effectively neutralizing many of Muhammad`s grappling attempts and landing impactful strikes on the feet. This victory made Della Maddalena the third Australian UFC champion, joining Whittaker and Alexander Volkanovski – an achievement Whittaker celebrated.
“Another Australian champion!” Whittaker exclaimed on his YouTube channel. “It feels great to be an Aussie right now. He stuck to his game plan perfectly and executed everything so well. I couldn’t be happier or prouder.”
Despite his excitement for Della Maddalena, Whittaker couldn`t help but question if Muhammad showcased his best form. Leading up to the fight, Muhammad had stated he wouldn`t attempt any takedowns, promising to demonstrate his striking. While he did attempt nine takedowns during the fight, it wasn`t the consistent grappling pressure characteristic of his usual style.
“I anticipated more takedowns,” Whittaker commented. He acknowledged the ease of making such observations from the outside, without knowing Muhammad`s physical or mental state during the fight. “Looking from the outside, in the later rounds (third or fourth), when he did combine his striking with shot attempts, drawing Jack in, they were effective every time. His only two successful takedowns came from initiating them in open space.”
Whittaker pondered, “Why didn`t we see more of that combination? I get the sense Belal might have been trying to make a statement by solely striking with Jack for the initial rounds. If that`s the case, it seems ill-advised. Jack is exceptional in close-to-mid range boxing.”
“In my view, what propelled Belal to contention was his ability to mix his attacks – striking followed by takedowns, and repeating that cycle,” Whittaker explained. “He’s not a ground specialist like Gilbert Burns who will immediately hunt for tricky submissions once he gets you down. His success relies on the striking-to-grappling transition. And we didn`t witness enough of that.”
However, Whittaker also considered the possibility that Della Maddalena`s defense played a significant role in stifling Muhammad`s game.
“Alternatively, Jack might have done an excellent job dissuading Belal from pursuing takedowns and maintaining distance,” Whittaker noted. “For the first three rounds, while both fighters were relatively fresh, Jack controlled the center of the octagon exceptionally well. He prevented Belal from pushing him against the fence. So, the question is whether Belal`s approach was due to Jack`s effective defense or because Belal deliberately wanted to test his striking against Jack, which, while earning some respect, is an uphill battle.”
Following his win, Della Maddalena expressed interest in a potential superfight against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, a possibility hinted at by UFC CEO Dana White. Whittaker shared his thoughts on this prospective matchup, suggesting it might not be as straightforward as the fight against Muhammad.
“I`m very intrigued by that potential fight,” Whittaker said. “I believe Islam Makhachev executes everything Belal does, but at a much higher level, everything is superior. That’s the key question. However, Volkanovski did manage to land strikes on Makhachev and hurt him. If Volk could do that, Jack certainly possesses the capability as well, especially given his preference for fighting at close range. But fighting at close range also increases his vulnerability to takedowns.”
Whittaker elaborated on the grappling difference: “Makhachev`s takedown game is significantly more advanced than Belal`s. Furthermore, his ability to capitalize on positions that Jack found himself in during this fight is much better than Belal`s.”
Concluding his analysis with uncertainty, Whittaker simply added, “What does that ultimately mean? I don’t know. [Laughs].”
