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  • 7 Hits & 3 Misses From UFC 315: Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena

    7 Hits & 3 Misses From UFC 315: Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena

    For the first time in a decade, the UFC arrived to Montreal, looking to bring the Bell Centre a night of memorable action with two title fights and some rising stars to watch out for.

    It was the UFC’s first visit to the biggest city in the Canadian province of Quebec since UFC 186 in 2015 — a card that was headlined by Demetrious Johnson retaining the UFC flyweight title against Kyoji Horiguchui.

    Though Canadian talent was featured during the course of the evening, the main event’s focus was on the welterweight championship clash between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena.

    Muhammad had entered UFC 315 on an unbeaten streak that stretched back to 2019. He had risen his way up the ranks and all the way up to the UFC championship, taking out names such as Demian Maia, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson, Sean Brady and Gilbert Burns. He captured the gold with a decision win over Leon Edwards at UFC 304.

    Standing across the cage from him was Jack Della Maddalena — who was given this opportunity a couple of months ago when Shavkat Rakhmonov was still unable to make the walk due to injury. JDM hadn’t lost since dropping his first two bouts as a pro and was a perfect 7-0 in the UFC. It was also JDM’s first fight since defeating Burns at UFC 299 last year.

    Gold was also on the line in the co-main event as Valentina Shevchenko looked to defend the UFC women’s flyweight championship against Manon Fiorot.

    This was Shevchenko’s first fight not against Alexa Grasso since recapturing the 125-pound title in their trilogy fight back in September. Outside of the 20 months or so that Grasso was wearing the gold, Shevchenko had been dominating the division since winning the title at UFC 231 in December 2018. Most, if not all, challengers that came up against her were completely outclassed.

    Like her title challenger counterpart on the evening, Fiorot hadn’t lost a fight since her own professional MMA debut. Fiorot had quickly made impressions since entering the UFC, taking out notable names in the division that included Mayra Bueno Silva, Jennifer Maia, Katlyn Cerminara, Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield.

    Who delivered in Canada? Who didn’t? Let’s go into it together with the hits and misses of UFC 315!

    Hit – Hometown Hero Barriault

    I had been in debate about whether or not to include this, given Bruno Silva being stretchered out at the end of this fight. But with Silva seemingly okay in the UFC’s updates, and “bonuses” misses I need to give, I’ve decided to give this a hit.

    Marc-André Barriault had one of the earliest strong performances on the night, finishing Silva during the early prelims. After both men landed big early and Silva momentarily dumped Barriault to the mat, Barriault put Silva away with some vicious elbows in the clinch. They didn’t just do big damage, but one of them dropped Silva out cold.

    It was an incredible and much-needed performance for Barriault. Coming into this fight off three straight losses, Barriault may have been facing the chopping block with a loss here. Instead, he gets to have a major knockout and memorable performance in front of a crowd in his home country.

    Miss – Whatever Those Judges’ Scorecards Were

    To quote commentary after Melvin Manhoef vs. Rafael Carvalho at Bellator 155, “The only thing more disappointing than that fight, was that horrendous decision.” Not only was Mondestas Bukauskas vs. Ion Cutelaba a letdown, but the nature of the bout’s decision left MMA fans either scratching their heads or filled with rage.

    Though it wasn’t his most exciting performance, Cutelaba appeared to do enough over three rounds. He applied early pressured, delivered damaging calf kicks and had strong clinch work. Though Bukauskas had his moments — especially in the final round where he stuffed takedowns and landed counters — his overall output was inconsistent. Despite Cutelaba’s early work, the judges were split in baffling fashion.

    Even if you don’t consider this fight a robbery, the nature of the scorecards being all over the place is what is confusing. How do we get to a point where there is a 30-27 scorecard for one fighter and a 30-27 for the other? How the heck did Pasquale Procopio see all three rounds for Bukauskas anyway? There are more questions than answers, and we’re never going to get any (I have problems with two judges giving Belal Muhammad round one in his fight against Jack Della Maddalena, too, but I digress…)

    Once again, coming out of an MMA card, we’re talking about bad judging. How is it 2025 and we’re still on this? It’s tiring, and if we’re not going to get the Global/PRIDE scoring system into the Unified Rules of MMA, then why can’t we at least hear from judges after controversial scorecards like these? Sadly, that’ll never happen.

    Hit – Jasmine Jasudavicius On The Rise

    I’ve been a fan of Jasmine Jasudavicius for a little while now, and it’s clear that she may be a future star in the flyweight division after the performance she put on in the win over former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade.

    Using her physical advantages, Jasudavicius overwhelmed Andrade on the feet before taking her down with ease. She then swiftly transitioned into a rear-naked choke for the submission win.

    The performance was as emphatic as it was efficient, pushing Jasudavicius firmly into title contention. Will she be next in line for a shot at the title? No. But this fight has shown she’s ready for top competition. And it will be interesting to see what Jasudavicius can do against another notable contender in the division right now — be it former champ Alexa Grasso, Erin Blanchfield, Maycee Barber or Rose Namajunas.

    Hit – Is Natalia Silva Ready For A Title Shot?

    Jasmine Jasudavicius may be still another couple of fights away from a title shot. Natalia Silva, on the other hand, may be next in line after her strong win over former champion Alexa Grasso.

    Silva utilized her speed and sharp strikes to control all three rounds against the former champion. Silva repeatedly found success with leg kicks, quick combinations and slick footwork, while Grasso struggled to find openings and momentum.

    Silva has now scored victories over two former UFC champions in Jessica Andrade and Grasso. And the kind of performance she put on against the very woman who interrupted Valentina Shevchenko’s dominance at 125 might be enough to make her next in line for the gold. If not, a title eliminator against another top-5 ranked performer isn’t out of the question — and a win there would make it undeniable.

    Hit – A Wild Third Round Between Jose Aldo And Aiemann Zahabi

    Jose Aldo’s MMA career might not have ended with a win or a tribute video package. But it did end with an exciting bout against Aiemann Zahabi that included a final round that could be up for Round of the Year nominations in any MMA End of Year awards.

    Aldo’s forward pressure and combinations had brought him an early edge in the fight, but a strong performance in the second round from Zahabi made the fight close. The third round, however, saw wild momentum swings. Aldo dropped Zahabi early but couldn’t find the finish. A fatigued Aldo when saw Zahabi capitalize, unloading punches, elbows, and ground-and-pound as he looked for a finish of his own. In a fight that saw so close, Zahabi’s late momentum in the final two rounds earned him the nod in a fight that could have been scored either way.

    Though Zahabi is 37, this win continues a string of success he has been on for the last five years now. People will have their opinions on how he’d perform against the best contenders in a stacked bantamweight division, but it can’t be denied that he’s at least earned the opportunity to fight a top-10 contender at 135 now.

    Hit – A Tribute To A Legendary Career

    I could focus on Aldo’s weight issues entering this week. I could focus on his gas tank emptying out during the flurry in the third round. But I’m not going to do any of that.

    I’m instead going to take the time and pay my respects to one of the greatest careers this sport has seen. Jose Aldo is one of the reasons we talk about the lighter weight classes in the modern day and age of MMA. During the times when the UFC wasn’t hosting fights below 155 pounds, people like Jose Aldo were making a killing and showing their talents. Aldo dominated the featherweight scene in the WEC, and that continued when he became the inaugural UFC featherweight champion, pulling off victory after victory before competing against Conor McGregor at UFC 194 — one of the industry’s most memorable and highly publicized title fights.

    From Cub Swanson to Urijah Faber, from Chad Mendes to “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung-Jung, from Frankie Edgar to Max Holloway, Jose Aldo has been in the cage with some of the greatest to ever be in this sport. And not only did he dominate in his prime, but Aldo even showed he could still go as he nears 39 years of age.

    A happy retirement to the legend and UFC Hall of Famer! A toast to his memorable career!

    Hit – One Step Closer To The Next Women’s Superfight?

    There were plenty of questions about Valentina Shevchenko heading into this fight. In spite of winning back the women’s flyweight title in September, the interruption to her reign, combined with Manon Fiorot’s size and winning streak, led to Shevchenko being pegged as the underdog heading into this fight despite being defending champ.

    But Shevchenko proved how oddsmakers sometimes just don’t get it.

    Shevchenko started strong with sharp striking and a takedown in the first round, but Fiorot took control in the middle rounds with clinch control and increased aggression. Shevchenko tried to take momentum back in the fourth with powerful body kicks, a takedown, and a knockdown in the closing seconds. The fifth round remained tight, but Shevchenko’s consistency and impactful moments throughout earned her the unanimous decision on all three scorecards.

    So, what’s next for Shevchenko? There are still a couple of names in contention (like the aforementioned Silva and Jasudavicius). But, of course, the fight plenty of people want to see is a superfight between Shevchenko and women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang. Zhang will probably still have to deal with Virna Jandiroba, then depending on if the UFC matchmakers want Silva as the next flyweight challenger or not, a Zhang win there could mean there can’t be another fight but it.

    Hit – JDM Turns Opportunity Into Gold

    Jack Della Maddalena would have gotten the opportunity to be a champion tonight. He was supposed to be fighting in the main event of UFC London a couple of months ago, taking on Leon Edwards. But with Shavkat Rakhmonov still on the sidelines, JDM was granted the chance to challenge Belal Muhammad. Now, after 25 minutes in the Octagon, JDM has managed to turn a sudden chance into a jackpot, walking out of UFC 315 the new UFC welterweight champion.

    JDM largely dictated the pace with technical striking. Muhammad held his own early and even managed to secure some positional control late, including a takedown and brief back control in round four. JDM’s striking volume and accuracy, as well as his ability to stuff takedowns, however, kept him in control for most of the fight. Despite Muhammad’s best efforts in the fifth, including a moment where he appeared to wobble his challenger in the fifth and landed ground control, JDM consistently rebounded and reasserted his rhythm, likely sealing a close but clear decision win and the championship.

    You have to feel good for someone like JDM completing his rise toward the gold. This opens up a lot of potential options for what could be next at 170, and here’s hoping that this injects some excitement in the division.

    On that note of what could be next, however…

    Miss – No Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria?

    A longstanding belief heading into this past weekend’s card was that a JDM win would result in Islam Makhachev moving up to 170 to challenge him for the UFC welterweight championship. That very well may still be the case even though there’s no official announcement yet.

    But it those are the plans, then unfortunately JDM’s victory brings us a monkey’s paw scenario. As it would mean a lightweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria would be off.

    Let me state this for the record: I was not a fan of Topuria’s decision to vacate the featherweight championship. Though he won the belt and retained it once against two of the greats in, respectively, Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway (the former of whom has now regained the title), there were still fights to be had for Topuria at 145. He didn’t clear the division; Diego Lopes and Movsar Evloev were chomping at the bit for title opportunities. Topuria’s reign was supposed to present us with fresh ideas for the division.

    That said, if we don’t get to see Topuria vs. Makhachev, it will be a disappoint. These two are without question two of the best athletes in the sport. And in a time when we say MMA is in a recession, in a time when Jon Jones seems to not want to unify the heavyweight title with Tom Aspinall, in a time in which the sport’s biggest star ever in Conor McGregor appears to be out of the picture for good now (for better or worse [maybe and instead of or]), and when one of the UFC’s other pound-for-pound names in Alex Pereira appears to be having negotiation issues with the promotion, a major fight like Topuria vs. Makhachev is a welcome sight.

    Topuria vs. Oliveira and JDM vs. Makhachev are solid fights, but it will be a case of “what could have been” if this is the case. And if Topuria vs. Makhachev does ever end up getting booked, we’d hope it’s not a case of “[insert timeframe here] too late.”

    But on that note…

    Miss – STILL No UFC 317 Main Event?

    UFC CEO Dana White promised us an answer to the questions regarding a UFC 317 main event (including the situations seen above) following UFC 315. But lo and behold, UFC 315 has come and gone, and we still don’t have an answer.

    White didn’t even appear at the press conference. Instead, Dave Shaw, the UFC’s Senior Vice President of International Operations, was there and promised an answer would be delivered in the coming week.

    To which my response is, it better.

    From the time of this piece’s publication, we are 47 days out from UFC 317, which is this year’s International Fight Week card. It’s had it’s fair share of shake-ups to main events in its history, but it’s always an event UFC puts a lot of stock into.

    And with just under seven weeks to go, an event that has all these attached events to it — a Hall of Fame induction ceremony, fan expo, etc. — has no announced main event. Even UFC 318 to be held the following month has a main event announced.

    UFC 315 was supposed to give us answers. Right now we’re still left with questions, and if we don’t get answers in a few days time, the UFC needs to be given even more flack.

  • ‘If The Man Don’t Want It Let’s Move On’ – Magomed Ankalaev Claims He Was Offered Alex Pereira Rematch For UFC 317

    ‘If The Man Don’t Want It Let’s Move On’ – Magomed Ankalaev Claims He Was Offered Alex Pereira Rematch For UFC 317

    One day removed from UFC 315, in spite of promises made in the days leading up to the event, there is still no announced main event for UFC 317 on June 28 in Las Vegas — as part of the UFC’s annual International Fight Week.

    The expectation had been (and still is) that Ilia Topuria would be involved in the main event for a lightweight title fight — either against Islam Makhachev or Charles Oliveira.

    But on X (formerly Twitter) on May 11, one champion spoke up about supposedly receiving an opportunity to headline the card — UFC light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev.

    Ankalaev’s next fight is expected to be a rematch with former champion Alex Pereira, and Ankalaev claims that such a rematch was offered to him for one of the UFC’s biggest annual events. Ankalaev defeated Pereira to win the UFC’s 205-pound title at UFC 313 in March.

    Ankalaev says he is still up for competing at the event — even if he suggests Pereira might not be.

    Magomed Ankalaev Suggests He’s Ready, Was Offered To Fight At UFC 317

    This comes just a couple of days after Pereira’s own account had a post that claimed he was being mistreated by the promotion — only for Pereira to make another post hours later claiming his account was hacked.

    Daniel Cormier himself, for what it’s worth, claims Pereira is lying and saying the post was the result of negotiations going awry.

    Dana White, UFC’s CEO, seemed to confirm earlier this week that the plan for UFC 317’s headline bout would have been Topuria vs. Makachev (with a win for Belal Muhammad at UFC 315) or Topuria vs. Oliveira (with a win by Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315).

    JDM won the welterweight title this weekend, with people subsequently assuming that the result would be Makhachev moving up to welterweight and Topuria and Oliveira fighting for a vacant title next month.

    But White did not show up to the UFC 315 post-fight press conference, and UFC executive David Shaw claims the main event should be announced within the coming days.

    What might not be helping this would-have-been-simple layout — Makhachev insisting he’s moving up to challenge JDM and be a double champion, not desiring to vacate the lightweight title.

  • ‘It’s Time To Move Forward’ – Jose Aldo Reflects On Decision To Retire Following Loss At UFC 315

    ‘It’s Time To Move Forward’ – Jose Aldo Reflects On Decision To Retire Following Loss At UFC 315

    After coming out of retirement almost exactly one year ago, UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo hung up the gloves again at UFC 315, following a loss in a highly competitive battle with Aiemann Zahabi.

    During his Octagon interview, Aldo reflected on how he didn’t have the heart for competing in MMA anymore.

    He reiterated these points on social media on May 11, while simultaneously desiring more time to be with his family and giving thanks to the UFC and Dana White.

    “Over the past few years, I rekindled the dream of becoming a champion once again. I trained as I always did, gave more than I ever had. But while cutting weight, something inside me said: “You don’t need to do this anymore.” And I listened.

    “It’s time to move forward. To live for my wife, for my kids. To celebrate the story I wrote with every war, every belt earned through blood and faith.”

    Jose Aldo Says He’s Listening To Inner Self In Choosing To Retire

    Aldo and Zahabi were originally scheduled to compete in a bantamweight bout. Aldo, however, reportedly had difficulties in making the weight, and the decision was made to change the fight to a featherweight one on the day of UFC 315 weigh-ins.

    Aldo seemed to get the better of Zahabi’s slow start early on, working his combinations on the rising contender. But Zahabi picked up momentum toward the end of the round, and the second frame was a back-and-forth, 50-50 battle.

    Aldo appeared to stun Zahabi during the third round and rushed for the finish. Aldo, however, seemed to gas out, resulting in Zahabi taking over and going on to win the fight via a controversial unanimous decision.

    Aldo came out of retirement last year at UFC 304, defeating Jonathan Martinez. Aldo then dropped another controversial decision, this time against Mario Bautsita, at UFC 307.

    Aldo, the longtime former UFC and WEC featherweight champion, had originally retired in September 2022, the same day his son was born and one month after dropping a decision to current bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 278.

  • ‘We Just Lost Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria’ – Islam Makhachev, Other Fighters & Fans React To Jack Della Maddalena Capturing UFC Welterweight Championship At UFC 315

    ‘We Just Lost Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria’ – Islam Makhachev, Other Fighters & Fans React To Jack Della Maddalena Capturing UFC Welterweight Championship At UFC 315

    At the end of 2024, the expectation was Shavkat Rakhmonov would be the first challenger for UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. But injury to Rakhmonov led to opportunity for Jack Della Maddalena, who was thrusted from planned Fight Night London main event to a title shot.

    And JDM has made the most of his sudden opportunity, defeating Muhammad in a major upset to become the new UFC welterweight champion in the main event of UFC 315 in Montreal.

    The first round featured plenty of striking as the two felt each other out. Della Maddalena was getting the better of the exchanges and even shoved off an attempt by Muhammad to pin him against the fence. Muhammad was clearly holding his own in the striking department, however. This continued into the second round; JDM continued to dictate the pace, with Muhammad attempting to go strike-for-strike with him. Even when Muhammad attempted to get the fight to the ground, Della Maddalena was able to prevent it.

    By round three, Della Maddalena was in a solid flow, connecting at will on the defending champion, especially with his straight shots. Muhammad was answering and going toe-to-toe, but JDM seemed to remain in control. Muhammad looked to pick up the pace in round four, increasing the volume in his striking. JDM prevented another takedown, but Muhammad was able to get to his back. Muhammad, who appeared to be landing the stronger strikes in the round, pressed the action late with JDM against the fence.

    JDM connected on a few solid straights early in the fifth round, busting open Muhammad. But Muhammad wobbled JDM with a straight of his own before scoring a takedown. JDM was able to work his way back up with about two minutes left. He started to connect more on Muhammad, and he appeared hurt. JDM went into a clinch, however, giving Muhammad another opportunity. Muhammad rolled through on a takedown attempt and got on top. Despite some difficulty, JDM was able to get back to his feet.

    Jack Della Maddalena Upsets Belal Muhammad For UFC Welterweight Title At UFC 315

    JDM originally came into the UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021, and he’s now 8-0 and a world champion in the Octagon. Della Maddalena, who hasn’t lost since dropping his first two professional MMA fights, fought for the first time tonight since defeating Gilbert Burns in March 2024.

    This loss snaps an 11-fight win streak Muhammad had been on since 2019. It was his first defense of the UFC welterweight championship since defeating Leon Edwards at UFC 304 back in July.

    The expectation now is that Islam Makhachev will give up the UFC lightweight championship to challenge JDM for the 170-pound title in the future.

  • ‘Weili Vs Valentina Next’ – Fighters And Fans React To Valentina Shevchenko Winning Narrow Decision Against Manon Fiorot At UFC 315

    ‘Weili Vs Valentina Next’ – Fighters And Fans React To Valentina Shevchenko Winning Narrow Decision Against Manon Fiorot At UFC 315

    Coming into this fight as the underdog, Valentina Shevchenko had one of the toughest and closest fights of her career. But she ultimately came out on top against Manon Fiorot in the co-main event of UFC 315 to retain the UFC women’s flyweight championship.

    Shevchenko got off to a strong start in the opening frame, being tactical with her striking and connecting solidly with her right hook early, taking advantage of Fiorot trying to be aggressive early. One of those shots connected right on Fiorot’s nose, busting her up. Shevchenko added a takedown before the end of the round.

    Fiorot came out for a better second round. Despite some early struggle, she managed to land a takedown on Shevchenko and controlled the positioning and pace. Shevchenko, however, appeared to still be landing the more effective striking. The third round proved to be just as close, with Fiorot controlling the action in the clinch, landing some key knees and finding her power to land on Shevchenko.

    Shevchenko, of course, would not be deterred. She picked her striking game back up, connecting powerful strikes and landing some notable body kicks. Shevchenko would then cement the round with a takedown and dropping the challenger with a hook in the closing seconds of the fourth.

    After yet another close the fifth round, the fight went to the judges’ hands, with all three judges giving three rounds to Shevchenko, allowing her to retain the title.

    Valentina Shevchenko Edges Out Manon Fiorot, Retains Flyweight Title

    https://twitter.com/ProchazkaSzn/status/1921424641349877961
    https://twitter.com/Geralt31065966/status/1921422919617458425

    This was the first title fight for Shevchenko since re-capturing the UFC women’s flyweight title in the trilogy fight with Alexa Grasso back in September. Shevchenko originally won the title at UFC 231 in December 2018, defending the title seven consecutive times before her upset loss to Grasso at UFC 285.

    This was Fiorot’s first loss since dropping her professional MMA debut back in 2018. Fiorot had won 12 straight and was 7-0 in the UFC, which included wins against Jennifer Maia, Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield.

  • ‘Absolute Cinema’ – Fans And Fighters Applaud Retiring Jose Aldo After Decision Loss In Entertaining War With Aiemann Zahabi At UFC 315

    ‘Absolute Cinema’ – Fans And Fighters Applaud Retiring Jose Aldo After Decision Loss In Entertaining War With Aiemann Zahabi At UFC 315

    Jose Aldo’s UFC comeback ends at three fights, but he gets to go out after an entertaining battle with Aiemann Zahabi — albeit one he came up short in controversially — in a featured contest at UFC 315.

    Zahabi was slow to come out of the gate, and Aldo took advantage of that. Aldo worked combinations and brought about the forward pressure, clearly out-pacing, and in some cases overwhelming, Zahabi. Zahabi did have a strong rush at the end of the first round, and he looked to bring that momentum into the second round. The result was a better round, but nothing dominant from either man. The second saw both men have their moments in terms of striking, a back-and-forth battle that could have fallen either way.

    The momentum took major swings in the third round. Aldo connected with a right hand and a knee that dropped Zahabi. Aldo swarmed on a retreating Zahabi, looking to get a finish. Zahabi survived, however, and it appeared that Aldo had gassed himself out. Zahabi stringed punches together, landing a series of shots on the MMA legend. Aldo went for a takedown but got nothing but Zahabi going on top and laying ground-and-pound into him, including some elbows in the fight’s final minute. The elbows busted Aldo open in the final minute of the fight. Zahabi slammed Aldo a couple of times in the closing seconds, but the horn would sound.

    Zahabi won the second and third rounds on all three judges’ scorecards, giving him the unanimous decision nod.

    Jose Aldo Retires Following Loss To Aiemann Zahabi At UFC 315

    Zahabi has now won six straight fights and will aim for another bantamweight contender next, calling out Marlon “Chito” Vera.

    Aldo goes 1-2 in his 2024-25 comeback to the Octagon after his initial retirement. He was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2023.

  • Vitor Belfort Named As Latest Member Of UFC Hall Of Fame Class Of 2025

    Vitor Belfort Named As Latest Member Of UFC Hall Of Fame Class Of 2025

    One of the greatest and longest-tenured fighters in the history of MMA, let alone the UFC, will finally get his rightful spot in the UFC Hall of Fame.

    The UFC announced that former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort is the latest name to join the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2025.

    Belfort will be a part of the honor ceremonies on June 26, two days prior to UFC 317 and during the UFC’s International Fight Week.

    Vitor Belfort Named To UFC Hall Of Fame 2025 Class

    Belfort was a key figure in the UFC’s earliest days, debuting as a 1-0 fighter at UFC 12 and winning the heavyweight tournament that evening. Belfort would fight four more times in the UFC before jumping to PRIDE. From 2002-2009, Belfort bounced around and competed for a number of promotions including the UFC, PRIDE and Strikeforce.

    Belfort became UFC light heavyweight champion with a win over Randy Couture at UFC 46. He’d drop the title back to Couture in a rematch at UFC 49.

    In 2007, Belfort would rebound in Cage Rage by winning its light heavyweight championship.

    Belfort rejoined the UFC at UFC 103 in September 2009, competing until his retirement fight against Lyoto Macida at UFC 224 in 2018. During this stint, Belfort would challenge Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman for the UFC middleweight championship and Jon Jones for the light heavyweight championship, coming up short all three times.

    Belfort joins a UFC Hall of Fame class that also consists of Amanda Nunes, Robbie Lawler, Craig Piligian, the UFC 236 clash between Kelvin Gastelum and Israel Adesanya and the 2025 Forrest Griffin Community Award winner, Charles Oliveira.

  • ‘Give Her A Title Shot’ – Fans React To Striking Clinic From Natália Silva To Defeat Former Champion At UFC 315

    ‘Give Her A Title Shot’ – Fans React To Striking Clinic From Natália Silva To Defeat Former Champion At UFC 315

    The next challenger for the UFC women’s flyweight championship could very well be Natália Silva, as she took care of business against former champion Alexa Grasso at UFC 315.

    Silva looked to get to a fast start, mixing up her shots and moving around the cage in a speedy fashion. She also took control in the fight when it comes to battering with leg kicks and short combinations. Grasso, meanwhile, seemed to be more patient, focusing on her jabs and combinations. Grasso looked to take advantage of a slip on a kick by Silva, but Silva was able to easily shove her away.

    Silva continued to use her speed toward success in the second round. Her quick hands combined with her footwork frustrated Grasso, as she continued to put on a solid striking display. Grasso had a strong volume output in the closing seconds of the second round, but it got nothing going for her.

    The third round presented nothing different, as all three judges gave 30-27 scores to Silva in a dominant decision victory.

    Natália Silva Outstrikes And Outworks Alexa Grasso In One-Sided Decision Win At UFC 315

    Silva is now 7-0 in the Octagon. Her previous wins have come against the likes of Jéssica Andrade, Viviane Araújo and Jasmine Jasudavicius.

    Grasso has now been unable to win in three straight fights since scoring the upset of Valentina Shevchenko to win the UFC women’s flyweight title. Her previous two fights had been the draw and loss in the second and third bouts, respectively, of Grasso and Shevchenko’s rivalry.

  • ‘Slugfest’ – Benoît Saint Denis Puts On All-Around Display Against Short-Notice Opponent Kyle Prepolec

    ‘Slugfest’ – Benoît Saint Denis Puts On All-Around Display Against Short-Notice Opponent Kyle Prepolec

    Though it wasn’t the originally scheduled opponent for him in Joel Alvarez, Benoît Saint Denis made it a successful night against short-notice opponent Kyle Prepolec, scoring a submission in the opening bout of the UFC 315 pay-per-view.

    Saint Denis scored a takedown almost right away, using his pressure against the fence on Prepolec, who looked to keep a hold of a kimura lock. Saint Denis eventually got to Prepolec’s back and threatened a choke. Prepolec got back to his feet, but Saint Denis quickly returned him to the mat and locked a body triangle back in. Prepolec was able to get to his feet but wasn’t able to shake Saint Denis off of him, just able to hold on to the end of the round.

    Prepolec surprised with a left hand that caught Saint Denis’s attention, opening a mousse under one of Saint Denis’s eyes. Both men connected and quickly resulted in an exchange. Saint Denis loaded up, but Propolec got him in a body lock against the fence. Saint Denis landed hard with elbows and knees in close. Despite a brief move to the other side of the cage, Saint Denis continued to land in the clinch, including a number of hard elbows.

    Saint Denis then scored another takedown and quickly locked up an arm-triangle choke, scoring the second-round submission.

    Benoît Saint Denis Submits Kyle Propolec At UFC 315

    BSD rebounds from a two-fight losing skid, falling short to Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano last year. Prior to those losses, Saint Denis had a five-fight win streak going for him.

    Prepolec sees a three-fight win streak snapped but is still 4-2 in his last six. Prepolec fought in the UFC twice in 2019, losing to Nordine Taleb and Austin Hubbard.

  • VIDEO: Mike Malott Cracks Charles Radtke In Front Of Native Canadian Crowd

    VIDEO: Mike Malott Cracks Charles Radtke In Front Of Native Canadian Crowd

    Feeling he had to defend his home country after comments made by Charles Radtke earlier during UFC 315 media week, Mike Malott performed in a big way, earning the finish of Radtke in their UFC 315 preliminary card featured bout.

    Radtke came out pressing, but Malott found his rhythm early by utilizing crisp boxing combinations and leg kicks. Malott also flashed his power with a head kick and spinning back kick during the round. Though Malott was mostly the aggressor, Radtke had his moments, including a late-round flurry.

    Malott didn’t need long into the second to put things away, however. A strong left hook and combination resulted in Radtke being rocked and dropped. Malott landed some brief ground-and-pound before referee Marc Goddard halted the bout, sealing the win for Malott and sending the Canadian crowd into a frenzy.

    Mike Malott Defends Canada With Second-Round Finish Of Charles Radtke At UFC 315

    Malott, who earned a contract through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021, is now 5-1 in the Octagon, with his sole loss coming against Neil Magny. Malott defeated Trevin Giles in November in his most recent fight prior to tonight.

    Radtke has now lost two of his last three and falls to 3-2 since his arrival to the Octagon in 2023. He came into this fight off a 51-second knockout of Matthew Semelsberger in November.

  • ‘The Dark Horse Of The Flyweight Division’ – Fans Praise Jasmine Jasudavicius Scoring Statement Submission Win Over Jéssica Andrade At UFC 315

    ‘The Dark Horse Of The Flyweight Division’ – Fans Praise Jasmine Jasudavicius Scoring Statement Submission Win Over Jéssica Andrade At UFC 315

    Jasmine Jasudavicius can certainly say she is one step closer to a title shot after scoring a victory over former strawweight queen Jéssica Andrade in a key women’s flyweight fight during the UFC 315 preliminary card.

    The fight was certainly not a close one. Jasudavicius used her height and reach advantages to connect multiple times on Andrade, overwhelming her with her size and strength. Then, in spite of Andrade’s previous comments of “needing a truck” to take her down, Jasudavicius was able to do so with ease.

    Jasudavicius did not let up control at all once the fight was on the ground. There, she landed some ground-and-pound before locking up a rear-naked choke, scoring a submission only halfway through the opening frame.

    Jasmine Jasudavicius Extends Winning Streak With First-Round Finish Of Jéssica Andrade

    Jasudavicius has now won six straight and seven of her last eight — and she is certain to find herself in the top-10 of the UFC’s women’s 125-pound rankings at the start of next week.

    Andrade has now lost five of her last seven, which includes fights at both 115 and 125. She was flyweight champion for about three-and-a-half months during 2019, defeating Rose Namajunas before dropping it in her first defense to Weili Zhang.

  • ‘Worst Robbery In UFC History’ – Fans In Uproar After Baffling Judges’ Split Scorecard In Controversial Modestas Bukauskas Victory Over Ion Cutelaba

    ‘Worst Robbery In UFC History’ – Fans In Uproar After Baffling Judges’ Split Scorecard In Controversial Modestas Bukauskas Victory Over Ion Cutelaba

    The only way to make a fight with a disappointing amount of activity worse is with baffling judges’ scorecards. And it appears that’s what we got with the judges’ totals in the victory Modestas Bukauskas got over Ion Cutelaba during the preliminary card of UFC 315.

    Cutelaba took control of the fight early with heavy calf kicks, targeting the lead leg of Bukauskas. Though Bukauskas had his moments, Cutelaba controlled the action by delivering more pressure and striking. Cutelaba continued this in round two with several flurries and clinch work, even if some attacks caused him to lose balance. Bukauskas responded with some counters, but his activity came into question.

    Bukauskas had better moments in the third round, stuffing takedowns and landing the more effective shots, as Cutelaba seemed to tire. Bukauskas in particular found success with the right hand.

    Bafflingly, one judge each gave the fight to each fighter with 30-27 scores. Even more baffling, the third judge gave the nod to Bukauskas despite the lack of activity.

    Modestas Bukauskas Bests Ion Cutelaba In Fight With Split 30-27 Scores At UFC 315

    https://twitter.com/ProchazkaSzn/status/1921370722930233477

    Bukauskas has now scored victories in seven of his last eight. He’s now 5-1 in the Octagon since his UFC return in 2023.

    Cutelaba falls to 3-2 in his last five fights.

  • VIDEO: Marc-André Barriault Powers His Way To First-Round KO In Front Of Home Crowd

    VIDEO: Marc-André Barriault Powers His Way To First-Round KO In Front Of Home Crowd

    In front of his home province of Quebec, and potentially fighting for his job, Marc-André Barriault delivered in a big way, scoring a powerful first-round knockout of Bruno Silva in the featured bout of the UFC 315 early preliminary card.

    Barriault seemed to get the better of Silva from the get-go, landing a right hand. Silva tried to bring pressure to Barriault, landing a right hand and a knee to the body. Silva had dumped Barriault down after catching a kick, but Barriault got up and pressed Silva into the fence.

    It was there where Barriault landed a couple of solid elbows that rocked Silva and dropped him out cold.

    Marc-André Barriault Elbows Bruno Silva Into Unconsciousness At UFC 315

    Silva was stretchered out of the Octagon as a result of the knockout.

    Barriault snapped a three-fight losing streak with this big victory tonight, having suffered consecutive losses to Chris Curtis, Joe Pyfer and Dustin Stoltzfus in 2024.

    Silva has now lost five straight fights and seven of his last eight. His sole win since 2022 was a first-round finish of Brad Tavares in April 2023.

  • VIDEO: Bekzat Almakhan Becomes First To Finish Two-Time TUF Champion At UFC 315

    VIDEO: Bekzat Almakhan Becomes First To Finish Two-Time TUF Champion At UFC 315

    Bekzat Almakhan got the action started at UFC 315 in a quick way, needing little time to finish off Brad Katona in the first early prelim bout of the night.

    Almakhan got off a few strikes to start things off, feeling out Katona while taking the center of the cage. As Katona goes in about a minute into the fight, however, Almakhan cracked him with an uppercut. That dropped Katona, and Almakhan quickly on top and delivered some ground-and-pound to score a 64-second finish.

    Bekzat Almakhan Stops Brad Katona In 64 Seconds At UFC 315

    No one had finished Katona in his professional MMA career prior to tonight.

    Almakhan scores his first UFC victory tonight. This marked his first fight in about 14 months, after losing to Umar Nurmagomedov in March 2024.

    Katona has now lost three of his last four and is just 2-3 in his second stint with the UFC. Katona is the only two-time winner of The Ultimate Fighter, having won seasons 27 and 31.

  • UFC 315 Results & Highlights: Jack Della Maddalena Decisions Belal Muhammad 

    UFC 315 Results & Highlights: Jack Della Maddalena Decisions Belal Muhammad 

    UFC 315 took place tonight from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights! 

    In the main event, Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena faced off for the welterweight title. While in the co-main event, Valentina Shevchenko looked to defend her flyweight belt against Manon Fiorot. 

    UFC 315 Results: Main Card

    • Welterweight Championship: Jack Della Maddalena def. Belal Muhammad via unanimous decision (48-47×2, 49-46)
    • Women’s Flyweight Championship: Valentina Shevchenko def. Manon Fiorot via unanimous decision (48-47×3)
    • Featherweight: Aiemann Zahabi def. Jose Aldo via unanimous decision (29-28×3)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Natália Silva def. Alexa Grasso via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
    • Lightweight: Benoît Saint Denis def. Kyle Prepolec via submission: R2, 2.35

     
    Preliminary Card

    • Welterweight: Mike Malott def. Charles Radtke via KO: R2, 0.26
    • Women’s Flyweight: Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Jéssica Andrade via submission: R2, 2.40
    • Light Heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas def. Ion Cutelaba via split decision (30-27, 29-28, 27-30) 
    • Light Heavyweight: Navajo Stirling def. Ivan Erslan via unanimous decision (29-28×2, 29-27) 

     
    Early Preliminary Card

    • Middleweight: Marc-André Barriault def. Bruno Silva via KO: R1, 1.27 
    • Featherweight: Daniel Santos def. Lee Jeong-yeong via unanimous decision (30-27×3)

    Bantamweight: Bekzat Almakhan def. Brad Katona via KO: R1, 1.04

    Preliminary Card Highlights

    Bekzat Almakhan def. Brad Katona

    Bekzat Almakhan got UFC 315 off to a huge start with a first-round TKO of Brad Katona.

    Marc-André Barriault def. Bruno Silva

    Marc-André Barriault earned a first-round KO of Bruno Silva.

    Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Jéssica Andrade

    Jasmine Jasudavicius took care of Jéssica Andrade with a rear-naked choke in round two.

    Mike Malott def. Charles Radtke

    Mike Malott earned a second round KO of Charles Radtke in their welterweight bout.

    Main Card Highlights

    Benoît Saint Denis def. Kyle Prepolec

    Benoît Saint Denis submitted Kyle Prepolec in the second round.

    https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1921393187463049407

    Natália Silva def. Alexa Grasso

    Natália Silva got it done on the scorecards.

    Aiemann Zahabi def. Jose Aldo

    Aiemann Zahabi earned a unanimous decision against Jose Aldo.

    Valentina Shevchenko def. Manon Fiorot

    In the co-main event, Valentina Shevchenko retained her flyweight title with a decision win.

    Jack Della Maddalena def. Belal Muhammad

    In the main event, Jack Della Maddalena claimed the welterweight title from Belal Muhammad with a decision win.

  • ‘An Absolute Superstar’ – Fans React To Paul Hughes Starching Bruno Miranda In PFL Belfast Main Event

    ‘An Absolute Superstar’ – Fans React To Paul Hughes Starching Bruno Miranda In PFL Belfast Main Event

    “Big News” is the big news coming out of PFL Europe’s event in Belfast.

    Paul Hughes fulfilled his dream of competing at the SSE Arena in Belfast and made an impact while doing so, finishing Bruno Miranda in less than a minute in the evening’s featured bout.

    Miranda opened the fight with a series of kicks, mainly focusing on the legs of Hughes. But all it took was one counter for the fight to turn things on a dime and end quickly. Hughes caught a kick and landed a left hook that dropped Miranda. Hughes followed up with a barrage of ground-and-pound until the referee stepped in, awarding the fight to Hughes after just 42 seconds.

    Paul Hughes Ends PFL Belfast Main Event In 42 Seconds, Calls Out Usman Nurmagomedov For Rematch

    https://twitter.com/ProchazkaSzn/status/1921309712055783802

    Hughes signed with the PFL in 2024, debuting at the Bellator Champions Series event in June 2024, finishing Bobby King. Hughes then scored a major victory over A.J. McKee at the Battle of the Giants card in October before challenging Usman Nurmagomedov for the Bellator lightweight title in the main card of PFL’s Road to Dubai event in January — a fight Hughes lost via a controversial decision.

    Hughes called out Nurmagomedov for a re-match following the win.

    Miranda has now lost three of his last four. Miranda made the semi-finals of the 2023 PFL lightweight season, losing to Olivier Aubin-Mercier.

  • VIDEO: Connor Hughes Sends Sebastien Di Franco To The Shadow Realm With One-Punch KO At PFL Belfast

    VIDEO: Connor Hughes Sends Sebastien Di Franco To The Shadow Realm With One-Punch KO At PFL Belfast

    While it’s Paul Hughes who is competing in the headline slot of PFL Belfast, another Hughes, Connor, may have stolen the show with a brutal finish.

    Hughes scored a second-round knockout of Sebastien Di Franco in a featured bout of the event, which featured the first round of the PFL Europe lightweight tournament.

    Hughes busted up Di Franco’s leg badly in the opening frame with a series of leg kicks. Hughes dominated the opening frame with check hooks, left punches, and working combinations. Di Franco had his own fair success with strikes, but he was unable to handle Hughes’ timing and accuracy.

    Di Franco started to get into a groove in the second round, getting his hands going. But one powerful right hand from Hughes changed all that, flooring Di Franco and knocking him out cold.

    Connor Hughes Puts Sebastien Di Franco To Sleep With Walk-Off KO At PFL Belfast

    Hughes has competed in the previous two seasons of PFL Europe, falling in the opening round of the 2023 tournament to Dylan Tuke (making Hughes’ first pro loss) and losing in last year’s final to two-time champion Jakub Kaszuba.

    Hughes now moves on to the 2025 PFL Europe lightweight tournament semifinals, where he will face Gino van Steenis. The younger brother of Costello van Steenis defeated Decky McAleenan.

    Di Franco has now lost three of his last four.

  • VIDEO: Alex Chizov Sleeps Mark Ewen With Single Left Hand At PFL Belfast

    VIDEO: Alex Chizov Sleeps Mark Ewen With Single Left Hand At PFL Belfast

    The PFL World Tournament has produced a number of upsets in its first-round events already, and now PFL Europe’s 2025 season — with only its lightweight fights at tonight’s PFL Belfast card — is not an exception.

    Alex Chizov did not need long to put away Mark Ewen and secure a semifinal spot in the PFL Europe lightweight bracket.

    After some leg kicks from both men, Chizov started to work the right hand. Ewen did not look like he was into second gear yet when Chizov landed a left hand that dropped Ewen. Chizov only got a follow-up shot or two in before the referee quickly stepped in to halt the action, giving Chizov the win in about a minute-and-a-half.

    Alex Chizov KOs Mark Ewen In 93 Seconds At PFL Belfast

    After defeating Omar Hussein in his 2022 PFL debut, “Pretty Boy” Chizov came into tonight’s bout off back-to-back losses against Acoidan Duque and Daniele Scatizzi.

    Chizov will now face Claudio Pacella, who defeated Gavin Hughes in another first-round fight held at PFL Belfast, in the tournament’s semi-finals later this year.

    Ewen is now 1-2 in PFL Europe and has lost two of his last three after starting his professional MMA career 5-0.

  • Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier De Ridder Booked For UFC Abu Dhabi Main Event This July

    Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier De Ridder Booked For UFC Abu Dhabi Main Event This July

    After pulling off a major finish over the rising Bo Nickal in the co-main event of UFC Des Moines last weekend, Reinier de Ridder now has a major opportunity in front of him.

    De Ridder, the former ONE middleweight and light heavyweight champion, will meet former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker in the headline bout of UFC Abu Dhabi at the Etihad Arena on July 26.

    The UFC confirmed the main event announcement on May 10, hours prior to the start of UFC 315.

    Robert Whittaker, Reinier De Ridder To Clash On July 26 In Abu Dhabi

    This will be Whittaker’s first fight since being submitted by Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308 in October. Outside of Chimaev, his only losses in the UFC since moving up to 185 have come against champions in Israel Adesanya and Dricus du Plessis. Whittaker is 3-3 in his last six.

    As mentioned, de Ridder is coming off a finish of Bo Nickal, who appeared to be the primed golden goose of the UFC and plenty expected to defeat de Ridder. The former ONE champion is now 3-0 in the UFC, after previously submitting Gerald Meerschaert and Kevin Holland at UFC Vegas 100 and UFC 311, respectively.

  • VIDEO: Eoin Sheridan Brutalizes With Quick KO at PFL Belfast

    VIDEO: Eoin Sheridan Brutalizes With Quick KO at PFL Belfast

    Talk about making a statement in just your second appearance with a promotion – Eoin Sheridan did just that.

    Sheridan didn’t need much for a quick night at the office, scoring a fast-paced knockout of Malichi Edwards during the early card of the PFL Europe event in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

    Sheridan cracked Edwards with a right hand mere seconds into the fight, causing him to go right on the attack. Sheridan fired off flurries on a rocked Edwards, trying to finish things quickly. After failing at a takedown and eating punch after punch, Edwards somehow survived and got back to his feet — even after a takedown from Sheridan.

    Eoin Sheridan Puts Away Malichi Edwards In Less Than Two Minutes at PFL Belfast

    Still, he didn’t look completely recovered. And before the two-minute mark of the fight hit, Sheridan landed another one-two that folded Edwards.

    Sheridan made his professional MMA debut in September 2023, defeating Joey Dakin via doctor’s stoppage. He followed that up with his PFL debut in December, scoring a decision over Brice Belghazi.

    Edwards now falls to 4-2 after starting his MMA career 3-0.

  • UFC 315 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena, Shevchenko vs. Fiorot, And More

    UFC 315 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena, Shevchenko vs. Fiorot, And More

    UFC 315 is almost here, and we here at MMANews are here to provide you the latest on betting odds for the card.

    The card takes place from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on Saturday, May 10. The pay-per-view main card portion of the event will start at 10PM ET/7PM PT, with preliminary action starting at 6:30PM ET/3:30PM PT.

    The headline attraction for the event will feature Belal Muhammad defending the UFC welterweight championship for the first time, as he takes on Jack Della Maddalena.

    Fan favorite Valentina Shevchenko, eight months after reclaiming the UFC women’s flyweight championship, will defend the title against Manon Fiorot.

    The pay-per-view card will also feature Jose Aldo taking on Aiemann Zahabi, Alexa Grasso battling Natália Silva and Benoît Saint Denis in action against Kyle Prepolec.

    UFC 315: Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 315 as of May 9 at 7:30pm ET, courtesy of DraftKings.

    Main Card:

    • Welterweight Championship: Belal Muhammad (-185) vs. Jack Della Maddalena (+154)
    • Women’s Flyweight Championship: Valentina Shevchenko (+114) vs. Manon Fiorot (-135)
    • Featherweight: Jose Aldo (-185) vs. Aiemann Zahabi (+154)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Alexa Grasso (+200) vs. Natália Silva (-245)
    • Lightweight: Benoît Saint Denis (-1600) vs. Kyle Prepolec (+900)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Welterweight: Mike Malott (-205) vs. Charles Radtke (+170)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Jéssica Andrade (+235) vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius (-290)
    • Light Heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas (+105) vs. Ion Cutelaba (-125)
    • Light Heavyweight: Navajo Stirling (-310) vs. Ivan Erslan (+250)

    Early Preliminary Card:

    • Middleweight: Marc-André Barriault (-166) vs. Bruno Silva (+140)
    • Featherweight: Daniel Santos (+124) vs. Lee Jeong-yeong (-148)
    • Bantamweight: Brad Katona (+124) vs. Bekzat Almakhan (-148)
  • ‘Let’s Just Move On And Strip Him’ – Fans React To Jon Jones, Nate Diaz Coaching Russia’s Answer To The Ultimate Fighter

    ‘Let’s Just Move On And Strip Him’ – Fans React To Jon Jones, Nate Diaz Coaching Russia’s Answer To The Ultimate Fighter

    As Tom Aspinall (along with most MMA fans around the world) waits for his UFC heavyweight championship unification match, it appears Jon Jones’s next venture — in a surprising move — is outside the Octagon.

    Jones will be heading to Russia alongside another UFC great, Nate Diaz, to serve as coaches for season two of ALF Reality — a Russian program similar in nature to The Ultimate Fighter.

    Jones announced the news on his Instagram page.

    ALF Reality‘s first season also saw two UFC stars serve as coaches, as that season featured former bantamweight title rivals Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan.

    That said, several MMA fans and pundits gave the news flack, as this project provides no update for a fight with Aspinall — a fight Jones has previously stated he feels he has little obligation to fulfill.

    Jon Jones To Serve As Coach On Reality Show Opposing Nate Diaz

    https://twitter.com/Goatziev/status/1920902759584334168
    https://twitter.com/MikeMartinGB/status/1920902447024804266
    https://twitter.com/ZaiahFranklin/status/1920902368096337948

    Jones and Aspinall’s negotiations have gone on for months now, with Aspinall at one point showing up in the crowd at UFC London in late March, holding up a rubber duck to the camera.

    Jones has fought just twice since the start of 2023 — defeating Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 for the then-vacant heavyweight title and retaining it in a fourth-round finish of Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 in November. Jones’ win over Gane was his first fight in the Octagon since defeating Dominick Reyes to retain the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 247 in February 2020 for that matter.

    Aspinall became interim UFC heavyweight champion with a 69-second finish of Sergei Pavlovich in the co-main event of UFC 295 in November 2023. That was the originally planned date for Jones vs. Miocic before Jones suffered a torn pec.

    Aspinall retained the interim title with a finish of Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304 last July. If he’s required to defend the interim belt again, he would become just the second man in UFC history (following Renan Barao’s two interim bantamweight title defenses during Dominick Cruz’s injury while champion) to do so.

  • Watch Belal Muhammad, Jack Della Maddalena Face Off At UFC 315 Ceremonial Weigh-Ins

    Watch Belal Muhammad, Jack Della Maddalena Face Off At UFC 315 Ceremonial Weigh-Ins

    We’re about 24 hours away from UFC 315, and MMANews is here to bring you the video from the ceremonial weigh-ins for the card!

    UFC 315 takes place on May 10 from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada — the first visit of Montreal for the UFC since UFC 186 10 years ago!

    The event will feature the first welterweight title defense for Belal Muhammad, as he meets the challenge of Jack Della Maddalena. Plus, Valentina Shevchenko makes her first appearance since regaining the UFC women’s flyweight championship, as she defends the gold against Manon Fiorot.

    The legendary Jose Aldo will be in action on this night, too, as he takes on Aiemann Zahabi. Alexa Grasso, who lost the flyweight title to Shevchenko at Noche UFC 2, returns to battle Natália Silva, and French lightweight Benoît Saint Denis does battle against short-notice replacement opponent Kyle Prepolec.

    Ahead of the event, nearly all fighters made weight, with the sole exception being Bruno Silva, who came in a pound heavy over the non-title middleweight limit. Nevertheless, all fights are still in tact.

    The ceremonial weigh-ins present the last opportunity for opponents to face off before they meet inside the Octagon. Check them out below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel!

    UFC 315 Ceremonial Weigh-In Video

  • UFC 315: Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena Full Weigh-In Results

    UFC 315: Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena Full Weigh-In Results

    UFC 315 goes down in just over 24 hours’ time, and we’ve got the official weigh-in results for you here at MMANews.

    For the first time in 10 years, the UFC returns to Montreal, bringing the Canadian province of Quebec two title fights and more action, including a couple of different ranked contender battles.

    The main event sees Belal Muhammad make his first defense of the UFC welterweight championship, as he takes on Jack Della Maddalena. In the co-main event, Valentina Shevchenko starts her second reign as UFC women’s flyweight champion, as she defends the title against French rising star Manon Fiorot.

    Also on the main card will be the legendary Jose Aldo taking on Aiemann Zahabi, former flyweight champ Alexa Grasso battling Natália Silva and Benoît Saint Denis in action against Kyle Prepolec.

    UFC 315 Weigh-In Video, Results

    UFC 315 takes place Saturday, May 10 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT.

    See above for a replay of the UFC 315 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below.

    Main Card:

    • Welterweight Championship: Belal Muhammad (170) vs. Jack Della Maddalena (170) (Backup Fighter: Ian Machado Garry (168))
    • Women’s Flyweight Championship: Valentina Shevchenko (124) vs. Manon Fiorot (125)
    • Bantamweight: Jose Aldo (143) vs. Aiemann Zahabi (142) — fight moved from bantamweight to featherweight
    • Women’s Flyweight: Alexa Grasso (126) vs. Natália Silva (126)
    • Lightweight: Benoît Saint Denis (156) vs. Kyle Prepolec (156)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Welterweight: Mike Malott (171) vs. Charles Radtke (171)
    • Women’s Flyweight: Jéssica Andrade (126) vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius (124)
    • Light Heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas (203) vs. Ion Cutelaba (205)
    • Light Heavyweight: Navajo Stirling (205) vs. Ivan Erslan (205)

    Early Preliminary Card:

    • Middleweight: Marc-André Barriault (185) vs. Bruno Silva (187*)
    • Featherweight: Daniel Santos (146**) vs. Lee Jeong-yeong (146)
    • Bantamweight: Brad Katona (136) vs. Bekzat Almakhan (136)

    *Silva missed weight, fined 20 percent of his purse
    **Santos originally weighed in at 147, made weight on second attempt

  • UFC 315: Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena Staff Predictions

    UFC 315: Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena Staff Predictions

    For the first time since UFC 186 a decade ago, the UFC has landed in Montreal for UFC 315. Get yourself ready and in the know with another edition of MMA News staff fight predictions.

    The event will be available exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view on Saturday, May 10. The main card will begin at its usual 10pm ET start time, with preliminary card action kicking off at 6:30pm ET.

    The main event of UFC 315 will see Belal Muhammad look to further make people remember his name with his first defense of the UFC welterweight championship, taking on Jack Della Maddalena. This will be Muhammad’s first fight since capturing the gold with a win over Leon Edwards at UFC 304 last summer. He’s unbeaten in his last 11 fights and has won 14 of his last 16. Standing across the cage from him will be the 28-year-old Della Maddalena, an Australian native who has been on the rise at 170. He was scheduled to face Edwards in the UFC London main event a couple of months ago but was pulled for this title opportunity. This will be JDM’s first fight since knocking out former title challenger Gilbert Burns at UFC 299 last year.

    The co-main event will also be a title bout, featuring one of the most popular female fighters in the world, Valentina Shevchenko, defending the women’s flyweight championship against No. 2 contender Manon Fiorot. After coming up short against Alexa Grasso twice in their trilogy — a loss and a draw — Shevchenko finally got her win at UFC 306: Noche UFC 2 in September, reclaiming the women’s 125-pound title she had lost to Grasso at UFC 285. Fiorot, meanwhile, has not lost after dropping her professional MMA debut, a 12-fight win streak with a perfect 7-0 Octagon record. She enters this title shot off a win over Erin Blanchfield last year.

    The rest of the main card will also be one to look out for, with the legendary Jose Aldo stepping in against rising bantamweight Aiemann Zahabi and a battle of top flyweight contenders between Alexa Grasso, the former champion, and Natália Silva.

    UFC 315: MMA News Staff Predictions

    With UFC 315 just a couple of short days away,  Ryan Jarrell, Pranav Pandey, and myself (Thomas Albano) have provided our picks for the fights that make up the main card.

    Below, you can check out the current leaderboard through four cards in 2025.

    1. Thomas Albano (11-7) & Pranav Pandey (11-7)
    2. Ryan Jarrell (10-8)
    3. Aakrit Sharma (7-11)

    And now, let’s take a look at everyone’s picks for UFC 315!

    Women’s Flyweight: Jéssica Andrade vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius

    Images: UFC.com

    Thomas Albano: Jéssica Andrade will be the toughest test that Jasmine Jasudavicius has ever faced. Andrade is a former strawweight champion and has battled some of the toughest women to have ever stepped foot inside the Octagon. She brings knockout power and pressure that can make even the toughest crumbling. That said, Jasudavicius may be getting Andrade at the right time.

    Andrade returned to flyweight in her last outing and lost to Natalia Silva, making it four losses in her last six fights. Jasudavicius, who earned a UFC contract off a Dana White’s Contender Series performance in September 2021, she’s risen through the ranks with a 7-2 Octagon record, including a current four-fight win streak. Add in the size and that Jasudavicius has, combined with wrestling skills that could trouble Andrade, as other wrestlers have, Jasudavicius may have a night here that proves she’s ready to take on the top contenders at 125. (Prediction: Jasudavicius)

    Ryan Jarrell: This is such an important fight for Jasudaviscius. The Canadian is on a 4 fight win streak and the time to capitalize is now if she hopes to get into title contention one day. Andrade will have a significant height and reach disadvantage, but that’s a common theme for the veteran fighter. Andrade always boasts fight altering power that could be a major factor in this fight. If Jasmine fights intelligently, however, she should be able to win a decision and continue her win streak. I am going to lean towards this fight going the distance and the judges leaning towards the hometown fighter. (Prediction: Jasudavicius)

    Pranav Pandey: While Andrade still manages to rack up wins here and there, it’s clear she’s no longer the force of nature she once was. She’s dropped seven of her last thirteen fights, and that kind of inconsistency speaks volumes at this level. On the flip side, Jasudavicius, despite being three years older is the fresher, more composed fighter in my eyes, and her recent performances back that up.

    The Canadian also enters the bout with a considerable length and size advantage, which could prove to be a real factor — especially if the fight hits the mat. That’s where I think she’ll try to steer the contest. She’s had solid success in grounding opponents and keeping them there, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she uses that blueprint again. (Prediction: Jasudavicius)

    Consensus: 3-0 Jasudavicius

    Women’s Flyweight: Alexa Grasso vs. Natália Silva

    Images: UFC.com

    Thomas Albano: It’s now been about eight months since we saw Alexa Grasso, losing the UFC women’s flyweight title to Valentina Shevchenko in their trilogy fight. Though she didn’t come out of the rivalry with the gold at the end, the three wars she had with Shevchenko have shown that Grasso is a top name in the division – one that will be hard to top.

    Natália Silva is a perfect 6-0 in the Octagon though, coming into this fight with a 12-fight win streak. She’s displayed great striking and forward pressure could be an issue for someone like Grasso. Having said that, I’m still leaning on the experience of the former champion to help her edge out a tight decision. I really don’t understand the people who are easily writing off Grasso in this one.

    I may not be the biggest fight better, but I agree with Ryan’s advice – avoid this match at all costs in your fight night bets and parlays. (Prediction: Grasso)

    Ryan Jarrell: This is a real tough one to pick. I will definitely not be adding this fight into a parlay I feel confident about. I can see this fight going either way and I expect both ladies to have their moments throughout the fight. In the end if I have to make a pick, and I do, I’m leaning towards the former champion to land a little bit more volume to get her hand raised and get back into the win column. (Prediction: Grasso)

    Pranav Pandey: This is a tightly contested matchup on paper, and I genuinely torn on who has the edge. Silva is on an impressive run—young, hungry, and firing on all cylinders. She’s a true threat wherever the fight goes, showcasing sharp striking and a slick ground game. The Brazilian is as well-rounded as they come.

    But even so, I still see Alexa Grasso as the crème de la crème of the flyweight division. I think she has the skill set, composure, and experience to answer whatever Silva throws her way. More importantly, after that lopsided loss to Shevchenko, Grasso is coming in with something to prove — and I believe that matters. In my eyes, this will be a competitive battle from start to finish, but I see the former champ edging it out. (Prediction: Grasso)

    Consensus: 3-0 Grasso

    Featherweight: Jose Aldo vs. Aiemann Zahabi

    Images: UFC.com

    Note: This fight was originally scheduled as a bantamweight fight but was changed to featherweight not long after press time.

    Thomas Albano: Jose Aldo’s return to the Octagon, coming out of retirement last year, has been decent thus far. He looked fantastic against Jonathan Martinez, and the Mario Bautista split-decision loss is still filled with plenty of debate over who won. At 38, Jose Aldo, obviously, isn’t the Jose Aldo that ruled over the featherweight scene in the 2000-10s. Yet, he is a living legend who has proven he can still go with the younger names of today.

    Aiemann Zahabi, meanwhile, has been someone to watch for since the start of his current five-fight win streak in 2021. Zahabi took out Pedro Munhoz in his last outing back in November, and he has continued to develop as a boxer. Having said that, Aldo and his experience is probably going to overwhelm Zahabi even in a stand-up battle. And given Zahabi isn’t too far removed from Aldo in terms of age, give me the legend in this one. (Prediction: Aldo)

    Ryan Jarrell: The Canadian is on an impressive win streak and this matchup will be one that would catapult him up the division if he can find a way to pull off the upset. I don’t mean to sound like Aieman Zahabi doesn’t have a chance in this fight, but I would be shocked if he beats Jose Aldo. Zahabi will have the hometown crowd cheering him on and if it goes to a decision, you never know what the judges will do. But give me Jose Aldo to dictate where this fight takes place and look in control throughout the contest. (Prediction: Aldo)

    Pranav Pandey: I genuinely don’t understand why the UFC keeps throwing José Aldo into such high-risk matchups since his return. That said, I still believe he’s still has more than enough in reserve to handle business—especially against someone like Zahabi.

    Zahabi is a sharp striker, no doubt, but he’s far from flawless. He tends to absorb more damage than he should, and rarely leans on his grappling background, which could prove costly against someone as seasoned and precise as Aldo.

    To me, Aldo remains one of the sharpest strikers the sport has ever seen—his combinations are still lightning-fast, and his takedown defense is arguably the best in MMA history. I think he’s going to methodically dismantle Zahabi with calculated precision over the course of three rounds and walk away with a well-earned decision. (Prediction: Aldo)

    Consensus: 3-0 Aldo

    UFC Women’s Flyweight Title: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot

    Images: UFC.com

    Thomas Albano: This is a tough one for me if only for the fact that I have watched Manon Fiorot rise her way in the sport – stretching back to her days competing in EFC Africa. Fiorot has been in the mix for some time now in the flyweight title picture. Her wins over Jennifer Maia, Katlyn Chookagian, Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield, combined with not having lost since dropping her pro debut, really adds to the run she’s had.

    That said, she’s taking on the legend herself, Valentina Shevchenko. “Bullet” is making her first defense after re-capturing the women’s flyweight gold in her trilogy bout with Alexa Grasso in September, and she’ll make it more than tough to get a win over her. Fiorot will have a slight height advantage, and it feels like she’s someone who could match Shevchenko power-for-power in striking. I’d probably lean to “Bullet” for grappling, but it feels like Fiorot and her body may pose some issues.

    I’ll go with the champ and her years of experience as being one of the best in this sport. That said, anyone who is saying that this fight is easily in the bag for Shevchenko is sorely mistaken. This will be a tough outing – but a win could make an eventual showdown with Weili Zhang (I hope) even more appetizing. (Prediction: Shevchenko)

    Ryan Jarrell: As long as she is fighting, I will always feel hesitant to pick against Valentina Shevchenko. At her best, she is the best pound for pound female fighter in the world, in my humble opinion. However, this will be a very tough test for the champion. Manon Fiorot is on a 14 fight win streak with big wins over the likes of Rose Namajunas and Erin Blanchfield. Not only is the challenger two years younger, but she will also have a modest height and reach advantage. Seeing how Fiorot has a whopping zero submission victories in her career, it’s safe to say she will not be submitting someone as well rounded as Bullet. If the fight stays on the feet, I just like the championship experience Valentina has to be the difference in this one. (Prediction: Shevchenko)

    Pranav Pandey: I see Fiorot as a dangerous, technically sound striker with a well-rounded skill set. She leans heavily on her crisp boxing to break opponents down and isn’t afraid to wade into gritty, blood-and-guts territory when the fight gets tough. She’s sharp, durable, and undeniably tough — but this time, she’s stepping in against a different kind of elite technician.

    Even if she’s not quite the unstoppable force she was a few years ago, her striking remains surgically precise and blisteringly quick, and her grappling continues to be criminally underrated. I think “The Beast” brings the kind of challenge that will force Shevchenko to show her full arsenal — and when that happens, I still believe she is superior in every department.

    I made the mistake of underestimating “Bullet” in her trilogy bout against Alexa Grasso. This time, I’m not making that same error. I’m all in on Shevchenko to remind the world why she’s still championship material and retain her title. (Prediction: Shevchenko)

    Consensus: 3-0 Shevchenko

    UFC Welterweight Title: Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena

    Images: UFC.com

    Thomas Albano: This is such a huge opportunity for a young fighter like Jack Della Maddalena. He’s only been on the UFC scene for a few years, but a huge win streak that’s seen him gone unbeaten since dropping his first two pro MMA fights – combined with wins over Kevin Holland and Gilbert Burns, combined with Shavkat Rakhmonov dealing with injury – now grants JDM a title shot. It’ll be a great experience for JDM, but that’s all it will be.

    As much as he has his win streak and the pair of wins previously mentioned, this still feels a little too much, too soon for the Australian. It probably would have worked better in his favor if he had competed one or two more times (perhaps at least once in his native Australia) before a fight like this. Muhammad may not be the most popular figure in the UFC, but he’s experienced and talented. He wouldn’t be UFC champion without either of those, and that experience and his own winning momentum should win out against Della Maddalena’s.

    Expect this fight to go one of two ways – JDM tries to grapple with Muhammad and pays the price, or Muhammad uses his grappling to counter act any of JDM’s striking offense. It may not be the most popular method, it may not be the most entertaining fight, but it will get the job done. (Prediction: Muhammad)

    Ryan Jarrell: I am a big fan of Jack Della Maddalena. I think he is an exciting fighter to watch and more importantly, a class act and role model outside of the cage. JDM has all the tools to be a champion one day. But that day will not be at UFC 315. The first time title challenger is still only 28 years old, and still somewhat new ish to the UFC. I believe right now is Belal’s time to reign as welterweight king and I except to see a diverse attack put on display by the current champ. If Belal gets in trouble on the feet, he will use his elite grappling attack to mix things up and keep the Australian a step behind throughout the fight. (Prediction: Muhammad)

    Pranav Pandey: I believe this matchup could turn out to be far more thrilling and competitive than many are anticipating. While I see Maddalena as the cleaner and more dangerous striker, I also think he has some clear vulnerabilities that Muhammad can capitalize on. We’ve seen Maddalena give up takedowns in past fights, and I expect the champ to target that weakness with a relentless game plan. I think he’s going to pressure the Aussie with bursts of strikes to close the distance, then chain those into takedown attempts—similar to what he tried to do against Leon Edwards.

    But that’s only half the story. Keeping Maddalena grounded and dominating him on the mat is a puzzle no one has convincingly solved yet. He’s dangerous even off his back—punishing opponents with vicious body shots and sharp, snapping hooks the moment they try to close the distance. And if you ask me, I think “Remember the Name” is in for a taste of that same resistance.

    While Muhammad has shown noticeable improvement in his striking over the years, I still believe he’d be in deep waters on the feet. If he can’t drag Maddalena into a grappling-heavy contest, I see the Aussie putting on a clinic and potentially overwhelming him with precision and power. (Prediction: Della Maddalena)

    Consensus: 2-1 Muhammad

    That’ll do it for our UFC 315 staff picks! What do you think? Do your predictions look similar? Let us know in the comments section!

    Also, you can check out the full UFC 315 card below.

    Main Card:

    • Welterweight Championship: Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena
    • Women’s Flyweight Championship: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot
    • Bantamweight: Jose Aldo vs. Aiemann Zahabi
    • Women’s Flyweight: Alexa Grasso vs. Natália Silva
    • Lightweight: Benoît Saint Denis vs. Kyle Prepolec

    Preliminary Card:

    • Welterweight: Mike Malott vs. Charles Radtke
    • Women’s Flyweight: Jéssica Andrade vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
    • Light Heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas vs. Ion Cutelaba
    • Light Heavyweight: Navajo Stirling vs. Ivan Erslan

    Early Preliminary Card:

    • Middleweight: Marc-André Barriault vs. Bruno Silva
    • Featherweight: Daniel Santos vs. Lee Jeong-yeong
    • Bantamweight: Brad Katona vs. Bekzat Almakhan