UFC 315: Belal Muhammad vs Jack Della Maddalena fight preview, fight card, streaming info
Montreal will play host to the Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) most anticipated fight on May 11 as America's Belal Muhammad gears up to defend his title for the first time.
Belal, who made his UFC debut back in 2016, had to wait for his shot at the welterweight title — eight years, to be precise.
And when the opportunity arose, he stepped up and seized it with both hands. True to his nickname 'Remember The Name', Belal secured a statement unanimous decision win over Leon Edwards at UFC 304 to clinch the belt. Like a fine wine, Belal has improved with age and has become a master strategist inside the cage, combining endurance with relentless pace.
He pairs this suffocating pressure with ever-improving striking technique to systematically break down and overwhelm his opponents. His fight record is indicative of his wait-and-strike approach — just six out of his 24 professional wins have come via finishes and the rest have been decisions.
The strategy was evident in his bout against Edwards. Twenty seconds into the fight, Belal initiated a successful takedown as he pinned the Englishman towards the cage and dropped him in a flash. That was perhaps an indication of what was about to unfold.
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With a total of nine takedowns and 68 significant strikes, Belal dominated his opponent for the majority of the fight and took home a convincing victory.
That win marked his sixth straight triumph, extending an impressive unbeaten streak that now spans 11 fights over the past five years.
REMEMBER THE NAME 🏆@BullyB170 defeats Leon Edwards by unanimous decision to become the NEW welterweight champion of the world!
[ B2YB @ForThePeople | #UFC304 ] pic.twitter.com/ZqUpxv04Tl — UFC (@ufc) July 28, 2024
Standing across from him will be Perth's Jack Della Maddalena, a fighter who is also riding a massive wave of momentum. Initially scheduled to face Edwards earlier this year, circumstances now pit him against Belal. Della enters this title opportunity on an incredible 17-fight winning streak in professional MMA.
Since joining the UFC roster after impressing on Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS) in 2021, he has had seven consecutive wins, including five finishes. Belal will likely deliver grappling exchanges with relentless pressure, while Della will rely on his knockout power and finishing instincts. For Della, a victory would make him only the third Australian fighter — after Robert Whittaker and Alexander Volkanovski — to capture UFC gold.
In the co-main event, Valentina Shevchenko prepares for the first title defence of her second reign against French contender Manon Fiorot.
Shevchenko decisively reclaimed the championship from Alexa Grasso at UFC 306 last September. Now, 'Bullet' aims to demonstrate her enduring dominance as she enters her remarkable 12th consecutive flyweight title fight.
Challenging her is the patient and powerful Fiorot. Since losing her professional debut, Fiorot has been undefeated, stringing together 12 wins on the trot, including seven victories within the UFC. She cemented her position as the No. 1 contender by dominating Erin Blanchfield last March.
UFC 315: Muhammad vs Della Maddalena full fight card Main Event: Belal Muhammad vs Jack Della Maddalena Co-Main Event: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fioro
José Aldo vs Aiemann Zahabi
Alexa Grasso vs Natalia Silva
Benoît Saint Denis vs Kyle Prepolec Prelims
Mike Malott vs Charles Radtke
Jessica Andrade vs Jasmine Jasudavicius
Modestas Bukauskas vs Ion Cutelaba
Navajo Sterling vs Ivan Erslan
Marc-Andre Barriault vs Bruno Silva
Daniel Santos vs JeongYeong Lee
Brad Katona vs Bekzat Almakhan Streaming information
UFC 315: Muhammad vs Della Maddalena will be streamed live on the SonyLIV app/website. The event will also be telcast across the Sony Sports Network.
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