Jack Della Maddalena Beats Belal Muhammad By UD to Win Welterweight Title at UFC 315

And new!

There's a new UFC champion at 170 pounds once again, as Jack Della Maddalena defeated Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision to win the welterweight title in the main event of UFC 315 in Montreal on Saturday.

UFC 315’s main event delivered a war worthy of Fight of the Year consideration

Both men came out swinging in the first round, skipping the usual feeling-out process. Della Maddalena landed 23 significant strikes to Muhammad’s 16, with Muhammad attempting the round’s lone takedown as the two largely kept it standing and exchanged heavy hands.

The challenger turned the tide in the second round, narrowly escaping what could’ve been a dominant takedown by Muhammad. The reversal swung the momentum in Della Maddalena’s favor, keeping Muhammad on the defensive for the rest of the round.

Della Maddalena targeted the body with several sharp strikes in the fourth round, while Muhammad aimed for the head. Both fighters showed solid takedown defense, keeping the bout upright in a tightly contested frame.

The fourth round was an all-out war. 

Both men turned up the intensity, with Muhammad unleashing a flurry of aggressive shots and absorbing a few in return. He finally secured his first takedown of the bout, but Della Maddalena quickly flipped the momentum, pinning Muhammad against the cage.

The champ headed into the round needing to make something happen in order to retain. 

Both fighters came out swinging to start the fifth, each getting visibly wobbled in the opening seconds. Muhammad landed a strong takedown with just over three minutes remaining, but Della Maddalena quickly returned to his feet. 

After wobbling Muhammad with a stiff shot, Della Maddalena pressed him against the fence, but Muhammad responded by dragging the fight back to the mat. Once again, Della Maddalena escaped, and the two closed the round trading heavy haymakers in a wild finish as the decision went to the judges.

The victory improves Della Maddalena's record to 18-2 and extends his win streak to 18 straight fights, with his last losses coming in his first two professional MMA fights in 2016.

Muhammad became welterweight champion by defeating Leon Edwards by unanimous decision at UFC 304 last July and ends his reign without a successful title defense. He was originally scheduled to return in December against undefeated contender Shavkat Rakhmonov, but a bone infection in his foot forced him to withdraw from the bout.

While Rakhmonov maintained his top contender status with a win over Ian Machado Garry in December, he was unavailable for UFC 315 due to an injury, opening the door for Della Maddalena to take his place. The Australian hadn't fought since March 2024 when he earned a knockout win over Gilbert Burns for his 17th straight victory.

While there wasn't much of a rivalry between Muhammad and Della Maddalena, their fighting styles created an intriguing matchup. They both are skilled grapplers who know how to push the pace and use their striking to set up their wrestling attacks.

In the end, Della Maddalena emerged victorious to claim the welterweight crown. Muhammad's record dropped to 24-4 with one no contest, but he likely won't fall too far down the rankings.

Della Maddalena now has a slew of new opponents in front of him, including a potential matchup against Rakhmonov, who is arguably the most dangerous fighter in the welterweight division with 18 finishes in his 19 wins. Rising contenders Sean Brady, Ian Machado Garry and Joaquin Buckley are all lurking as well, creating some excitement for a new era at 170 pounds with Della Maddalena leading the way.