Belal Muhammad`s time as welterweight champion ended in a brutal fight at UFC 315.
The American fighter, of Palestinian descent, was attempting the first defense of his 170-pound title, which he took from Leon Edwards in Manchester last July.
His opponent was Australian Jack Della Maddalena, returning after a 14-month absence due to a severe bone infection.
Muhammad was ultimately defeated by unanimous decision by Della Maddalena, who secured his place in history as Australia`s third-ever UFC titleholder.
A thrilled Della Maddalena said, “It`s exactly how I thought it would feel. It feels damn good.”
He continued, “I knew I had to be sharp on my feet. I should have been a bit more accurate with the strikes.”
“Facing someone like Belal with his strong pressure wrestling, I knew I needed to fight smart.”
“I believed I was winning, and I wanted to finish him. Belal is a tough fighter, a formidable opponent.”
He concluded by saying, “Australia, we now have three of these belts. Let`s go!”
Della Maddalena delivered a masterclass in striking throughout the fight, inflicting damage on Muhammad from the opening round.
To his credit, Muhammad absorbed Della Maddalena`s hardest shots and kept pressing forward, attempting takedowns.
Della Maddalena showed excellent takedown defense throughout the bout and was highly effective at returning to his feet whenever he was taken down.
The amount of damage sustained proved decisive in the judges` scoring.
The deep cut Della Maddalena caused under Muhammad`s eye with a precise knee strike in the fifth round likely influenced the judges, who scored the fight 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46 in his favour.
Della Maddalena`s victory has major implications for Dana White and the UFC`s plans, particularly for the International Fight Week card on June 28th.
Had Della Maddalena lost, a huge lightweight title fight between champion Islam Makhachev and former featherweight king Ilia Topuria would likely have headlined UFC 317.
However, his win opens the door for Makhachev to potentially move up to the 170-pound division to challenge for a second world title.
The dominant Dagestani fighter, Makhachev, is eager for the move, stating on X: “Time to become a double champion #inshaAllah. Let`s go.”
Della Maddalena is looking forward to the prospect of facing the sport`s current pound-for-pound best fighter, saying, “I think it`s a great challenge.”
“He`s pound-for-pound number one,” Della Maddalena noted. “I`m going to avenge [Alexander Volkanovski].”
