Jack Della Maddalena claimed the welterweight title from Belal Muhammad in the primary occasion of UFC 315, exhibiting off elegant hanging to dethrone the wrestling specialist.
Della Maddalena was capable of maintain the centre of the Octagon and press ahead for a lot of the five-round bout, switching stances often and tagging Muhammad with dozens of straight photographs, in addition to a knee that lower the Palestinian-American badly in spherical 5.
Muhammad, 36, didn’t depend on his often efficient wrestling practically sufficient, and when he did, his Australian challenger exhibited spectacular defence. With that, “JDM” secured scorecards of 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46, halting Muhammad’s 10-fight win streak and lengthening his personal to a outstanding 18 bouts.
Della Maddalena, 28, ended Muhammad’s title reign throughout the latter’s first defence, and now the Aussie is expected to defend the strap against Muhammad’s friend Islam Makhachev – the reigning light-weight king, who has eyed welterweight gold but would not face Muhammad.
“It’s precisely how I believed it will really feel,” mentioned Della Maddalena within the cage after his victory. “I ought to’ve been a bit sharper with my photographs, however it’s what it’s.
“Coming in in opposition to somebody like Belal with that type of stress wrestling, I couldn’t spend too lengthy in opposition to the fence or on my again. I used to be gunning for a end, however Belal’s the person; he’s a tricky dude, he’s arduous to place away.
“I feel [a fight with Makhachev] is a lovely problem, he’s pound-for-pound No 1, I’m gonna get him again for Volk.” JDM was referring to Makhachev’s two wins over one other Australian in Alexander Volkanovski.
In Saturday’s co-main occasion in Montreal, Canada, flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko prolonged her second reign atop the division, retaining the title in opposition to Manon Fiorot with a razor-close resolution.
Source link