UFC 315 Live Results and Updates: Belal Muhammad vs Jack Della Maddalena Title Fight

Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena clashed in the octagon with the coveted welterweight title on the line. Muhammad, the reigning champion, had previously captured the belt by defeating Leon Edwards last July and sought to make a successful first defense.

His challenger, Della Maddalena, entered the bout in stellar form, boasting an impressive win streak that extended all the way back to May 2016, prior to his UFC debut.

Before the highly anticipated main event, the main card featured several other thrilling fights.

Main Event: Belal Muhammad vs Jack Della Maddalena

The main event for the Welterweight title between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena was a highly anticipated clash. Champion Muhammad had been dominant in recent years, facing the challenge of the #5 ranked Australian, who had proven his title contention with wins over Kevin Holland and Gilbert Burns.

Round 1

The fight began with a close first round. Della Maddalena showcased smooth striking with a variety of kicks, keeping the champion at distance. Muhammad attempted to close the gap for takedowns, but the Australian circled away effectively. The threat of Muhammad`s grappling opened up opportunities for his strikes, landing blows when Della Maddalena focused on defense.

Round 2

Another competitive round ensued. Della Maddalena`s slick boxing was impressive, landing nice punches on the champion. However, Muhammad prevented him from controlling the center of the octagon. A late takedown attempt from Muhammad was defended well by Della Maddalena, keeping the fight competitive.

Round 3

Della Maddalena landed a solid body-head-body combination, showcasing his clean boxing. The Australian appeared more fluid in this round with good head movement. Muhammad struggled to blend in his grappling but landed enough strikes to remain competitive as the fight headed into the championship rounds.

Round 4

The champion had his best round in the fourth. Belal Muhammad`s pressure was evident, and his experience seemed to pay off in the later stages. He landed significant strikes that slowed Della Maddalena`s momentum. The challenger landed big shots in return, but the champion`s chin held strong. It was a very close fight going into the final round.

Round 5

In the final round, Muhammad continued to apply pressure. He landed some hard shots, but Della Maddalena showed remarkable toughness. Della Maddalena landed a major knee that cut the champion. Both fighters exchanged fierce elbows in the clinch, ending the fight covered in blood. Muhammad looked strong in this final round, displaying incredible heart and warrior spirit from both men in what was an absolute war.

Result

The fight went to the judges` scorecards after a grueling five rounds.

Jack Della Maddalena Wins by Unanimous Decision.

The judges scored the contest 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46, all in favor of the Australian challenger, crowning him the new UFC welterweight champion.

Post-Fight Reaction

Upon receiving the welterweight belt, Jack Della Maddalena spoke with Daniel Cormier about his performance. He stated, “Coming in here against someone like Belal, with that sort of pressure, I knew I had to be smart. Belal`s a tough dude, he`s not easy to put away.” Celebrating his win, he proudly declared, “Australia baby, we`ve got three of these [belts], lets go!”

Australian UFC Champions

Jack Della Maddalena`s victory makes him the third Australian fighter to claim a UFC world championship, joining former champion Robert Whittaker and current featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski.

What`s Next for Jack Della Maddalena?

Now with an 8-0 record in the UFC and the undisputed welterweight title, attention turns to Della Maddalena`s next challenge. Speculation is rising about a potential fight against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, who has expressed interest in moving up a division after successfully defending his lightweight belt four times. With Belal Muhammad, his training partner, defeated, Makhachev might aim to become a double-champion.

Co-Main Event: Valentina Shevchenko vs Manon Fiorot

The co-main event featured Valentina Shevchenko defending her Flyweight title against the #2 ranked contender, Manon Fiorot. Shevchenko, known as ‘The Bullet,’ aimed for another successful defense after her previous performance against Grasso. Fiorot earned her title shot with impressive victories over Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield, promising a high-level display of Women’s MMA.

Round 1

The round started cautiously with both fighters gauging distance. Shevchenko landed a powerful right hand that caused Fiorot`s nose to bleed significantly. Shevchenko secured a takedown towards the end of the round, gaining an early advantage on the scorecards.

Round 2

Shevchenko effectively used her counter-striking, making it difficult for Fiorot to close the distance. She landed a spinning push kick. Fiorot found more success when she initiated grappling exchanges, using effective level changes to finish the round strongly.

Round 3

The round began after Fiorot received a warning for a near-illegal knee. Shevchenko`s takedown attempt was defended. Both fighters had moments of success in grappling exchanges. Fiorot began to control the pace, while Shevchenko looked for counters. With limited significant strikes landed, the championship rounds became crucial.

Round 4

Entering the championship rounds, Shevchenko increased her aggression and landed a spinning head kick after countering Fiorot. Fiorot`s nose was bleeding again, but she continued to press forward. Shevchenko dropped Fiorot with a counter straight right in a late flurry, but the round ended before she could capitalize. The fight hinged on the final round.

Round 5

Fiorot attempted to make the final round a gritty affair. Shevchenko circled well and landed an unexpected spinning back fist. Fiorot managed control time through grappling, landing elbows in close. With both fighters having moments, the decision went to the judges.

Result

Valentina Shevchenko Wins by Unanimous Decision.

All three judges scored the contest 48-47 in favor of ‘The Bullet’. This was a well-deserved victory against a tough opponent and added another title defense to her record, further solidifying her legacy as the Women`s Flyweight GOAT.

Featured Bout: Jose Aldo vs Aiemann Zahabi

A featherweight contest between UFC legend Jose Aldo and Canada`s own Aiemann Zahabi. The bout was originally scheduled at bantamweight but was moved to 145lbs due to Aldo`s weight cut difficulties. The “King of Rio,” Jose Aldo, sought to return to winning ways after a controversial loss, while Zahabi entered on a five-fight winning streak.

Round 1

Despite being 38, Aldo displayed quick hands and controlled the center of the octagon, landing effective combinations. Towards the end of the round, Zahabi began to time Aldo and landed a left hook, but neither fighter was significantly hurt.

Round 2

A close round saw Aldo implementing his jab effectively. Both men exchanged strikes in the pocket, resulting in a cut over Zahabi`s right eye. There was a brief pause after an accidental groin strike to Aldo. Aldo seemed to slow down slightly, making the final round crucial.

Round 3

Aldo started aggressively in the final round, landing a big leg kick and attempting a finish, but Zahabi recovered. Aldo appeared exhausted after his offensive burst. Zahabi finished the round dominantly, landing significant elbows from the top that caused a gruesome cut on Aldo`s head. Despite the damage, Aldo survived until the buzzer in what was described as a “What a fight!”.

Result

Aiemann Zahabi Wins by Unanimous Decision.

All three judges scored the contest 29-28 in favor of Zahabi, marking an excellent comeback win for the Canadian fighter.

Jose Aldo Announces Retirement

Following his loss, UFC legend Jose Aldo announced his retirement from mixed martial arts. The “King of Rio” reflected on his career after taking off his gloves in the octagon, stating, “I don`t think I have it in me anymore, everything was very tough… I don`t want to go into war all the time. I think this is the last time you`ll see me.” He thanked Dana White and everyone at the UFC for their support.

UFC 315 Full Card Results Summary

The event in Montreal delivered an exciting night of fights, including five finishes and bouts with significant title implications. Here is a summary of the full card results:

Main Card

• Jack Della Maddalena beat Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision (Welterweight Title).
• Valentina Shevchenko defeated Manon Fiorot by unanimous decision (Women`s Flyweight Title).
• Aiemann Zahabi beat Jose Aldo by unanimous decision.
• Natalie Silva won by unanimous decision against Alexa Grasso.
• Benoit Saint-Denis submitted Kyle Prepolec in the second round.

Prelims

• Mike Malott TKO’d Charles Radtke in round two.
• Jasmine Jasudavicius submitted Jessica Andrade in round one.
• Modestas Bukauskas beat Ion Cutelaba by split decision.
• Navajo Stirling beat Ivan Erslan by unanimous decision.

Early Prelims

• Marc-Andre Barriault defeats Bruno Silva by KO in round one.
• Daniel Santos beat Lee Jeong Yeong by unanimous decision.
• Bekzat Almakhan beat Brad Katona by KO in round one.