MMA News

Tag: UFC 315

  • Jack Della Maddalena Compares Belal Muhammad’s ‘Boring Style’ To GSP’s

    Jack Della Maddalena Compares Belal Muhammad’s ‘Boring Style’ To GSP’s

    UFC welterweight title challenger Jack Della Maddalena sees similarities between reigning champion Belal Muhammad and legend Georges St-Pierre’s approach to fighting.

    Della Maddalena has received a surprise opportunity this year owing to an injury to original top contender Shavkat Rakhmonov.

    As a result, the Australian was pulled from his scheduled London main event against Leon Edwards and thrust into a title clash with Muhammad at UFC 315 in Canada next month.

    With his preparation ongoing, Della Maddalena has been analysing the man he’ll need to beat to bring UFC gold back Down Under. And like plenty of the champ’s detractors, he had one word in mine during a recent interview on Fox Sports Australia’s mainevent — “boring.”

    “It’s no question he’s got a boring fight style,” Della Maddalena said of Belal Muhammad. “He’s good at holding people down and getting victories. GSP (Georges St-Pierre) got flak back in the day for being a boring style. I definitely think it’s a boring style, but winning is obviously his number one goal, and fair play to him. But I feel like I can beat him.”

    Muhammad has aspirations of reaching and surpassing the legacy of the great St-Pierre, who achieved title glory in two divisions and cemented his place in the GOAT debate despite a fight style widely branded less than entertaining.

  • Benoît Saint Denis Reportedly Returning To Face Explosive Finisher At UFC 315

    Benoît Saint Denis Reportedly Returning To Face Explosive Finisher At UFC 315

    The UFC 315 card just got even more stacked with the addition of a thrilling matchup featuring Benoît Saint Denis.

    On Monday, Saint Denis took to his YouTube channel to announce that he’ll be making his return at UFC 315, which is scheduled for May 10 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, though he refrained from naming his opponent.

    According to a recent report by MMA journalist Álvaro Colmenero, the 29-year-old Frenchman is set to square off against Joel Alvarez in a lightweight showdown.

    “God of War” is currently on a two-fight losing skid and was last in action at UFC Fight Night in Paris last September, where he endured a brutal second-round TKO (doctor’s stoppage) at the hands of Renato Moicano.

    Saint Denis was riding a five-fight finish streak before his momentum was halted by former interim 155-pound champion Dustin Poirier, who scored a second-round knockout in their March 2024 encounter. He now holds a 5-3 record in the UFC.

    Meanwhile, Alvarez is coming off a dominant first-round knockout victory over Drakkar Klose at a Fight Night event in Tampa this past December. “El Fenomeno” last experienced defeat in February 2022 against Arman Tsarukyan, but since then, he’s rebounded strongly with a three-fight win streak.

    The 32-year-old Spaniard has secured seven victories in his nine UFC bouts, with each win coming by way of either knockout or submission.

    The UFC 315 card will feature two championship bouts at the top of the lineup. In the main event, reigning UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad will make his first title defense against Jack Della Maddalena. Meanwhile, in the co-main event, Valentina Shevchenko will defend her flyweight title against Manon Fiorot.

    Here’s what the current UFC 315 lineup looks like:

    • Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena: welterweight title
    • Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot: women’s flyweight title
    • Alexa Grasso vs. Natalia Silva: women’s flyweight
    • Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales: welterweight
    • Benoit Saint Denis vs. Joel Alvarez: lightweight
    • Jose Aldo vs. Aiemann Zahabi: bantamweight
    • Brad Katona vs. Bekzat Almakhan: bantamweight
    • Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Bruno Silva: middleweight
    • Mike Malott vs. Charles Radtke: welterweight
    • Jessica Andrade vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius: women’s flyweight
    • Navajo Stirling vs. Ivan Erslan: light heavyweight
    • Modestas Bukauskas vs. Ion Cutelaba: light heavyweight
  • Ian Garry ‘Livid’ At UFC For Giving Jack Della Maddalena Next Title Shot Over Him

    Ian Garry ‘Livid’ At UFC For Giving Jack Della Maddalena Next Title Shot Over Him

    It’s safe to say that UFC welterweight contender Ian Garry isn’t pleased with the promotion’s choice of replacement for the injured Shavkat Rakhmonov.

    After an injury to champion Belal Muhammad stalled his plans to win gold late last year, Rakhmonov maintained his top contender status by getting the better of short-notice opponent Garry at UFC 310.

    But while “Nomad” was looking ahead to a rescheduled showdown with Muhammad, another injury — this time to the Kazakh star — has once again scuppered those plans.

    In Rakhmonov’s place at UFC 315 in Montreal on May 10 will be Jack Della Maddalena. The decision to pull the Australian from his original clash with Leon Edwards in London and grant him a title shot hasn’t sat well with one fellow contender.

    During a recent video uploaded to his Instagram account, Garry didn’t shy away from expressing his bemusement with the UFC’s call. The Irishman questioned why he wasn’t the promotion’s first thought, especially given his belief that Rakhmonov’s injury derived from damage sustained in their fight last December.

    “Why aren’t I fighting for the title? I had a chat with my agent. I rang him when he told me about this news and I was livid — still am to this day,” Ian Garry said. “I had a number one contender’s fight, where the guy (Rakhmonov) now has to get knee reconstruction and is out for a year.

    “I’m not fighting for a world title because I’m coming off a loss and they’re giving it to a guy who’s been injured for a year, and they think that’s more exciting. But they’re wrong,” Garry continued, taking credit for Rakhmonov’s injury. “The title fight was meant to be Shavkat Rakhmonov taking on Belal Muhammad, but Shavkat is out injured. I wonder how that happened? Now they’re pulling in a guy who hasn’t fought in a year…hasn’t been active. They’ve given it to Jack Della Maddalena. It’s okay. Don’t worry. I’ll get you all. You’re all mine.”

    Prior to losing his undefeated status at the hands of Rakhmonov, Ian Garry had risen the ranks with victories over Neil Magny, Geoff Neal, and Michael “Venom” Page.

  • Leon Edwards Backs Jack Della Maddalena To Dethrone Belal Muhammad At UFC 315

    Leon Edwards Backs Jack Della Maddalena To Dethrone Belal Muhammad At UFC 315

    Former UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards doesn’t expect the man who removed him from the division’s throne to occupy it for much longer.

    After losing his grip on the 170-pound title courtesy of Belal Muhammad last July, Edwards was expecting to return to action opposite Jack Della Maddalena in London this weekend.

    That changed last month, however, when the Australian contender was pulled from the UFC Fight Night main event to challenge Muhammad at UFC 315 on May 10 in Montreal. Edwards, meanwhile, will now battle Sean Brady on March 22.

    Ahead of his appearance at The O2, Edwards has been vocal in stating that a victory will earn him a quick shot at returning to the welterweight mountaintop.

    While he’d like nothing more than to exact revenge on Muhammad, he seemingly doesn’t foresee “Remember the Name” still being on the throne by the time he gets back to it.

    “If I had to put money on it, I’d probably favor JDM,” Leon Edwards said during an appearance on Monday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned. “I feel like JDM, his boxing is what will probably shut him (Muhammad) down. And he’s a good anti-grappler, JDM. It’s easy to take him down, but his scrambles on the floor are good. I feel like Belal won’t be enough to hold him down for that long. So maybe JDM, if I had to put money on it.”

    Muhammad’s first title defense was expected to come against Shavkat Rakhmonov. But after an injury to the champion scrapped that last December, the Kazakh contender is now the one ruled out.

    The Palestinian-American’s clash with Della Maddalena will mark one of two title bouts on the UFC 315 card, with Valentina Shevchenko also putting her flyweight title on the line opposite France’s Manon Fiorot.

  • UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: New Fights For Rosas Jr., Cutelaba, And More

    MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming fight cards.

    With events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.

    Between Monday, March 3, and Sunday, March 9, a small number of fights were made official by the UFC or reported as being in the works by reputable sources.

    For those matchups, check out the list below:

  • Belal Muhammad Gets Palestine Flag Added To UFC Profile After Dana White Steps In

    Belal Muhammad Gets Palestine Flag Added To UFC Profile After Dana White Steps In

    Belal Muhammad’s grievance reached Dana White, who wasted no time setting things right.

    Muhammad will make his first welterweight title defense at UFC 315 on May 10, headlining against Jack Della Maddalena at the Bell Centre, in Montreal, Canada.

    UFC fighters usually have their national flags displayed on their profiles on the promotion’s official website, but “Remember the Name”, who represents Palestine, was the only one among the 22 fighters on the UFC 315 lineup without one.

    The Chicago-born reigning UFC 170-pound champion has never wavered in his pride for his Palestinian heritage. Throughout his UFC career, he has made it a point to represent his roots, always carrying the Palestinian flag as a symbol of his identity.

    After noticing his flag was missing, Muhammad took to social media on Thursday, urging the UFC CEO to take action on the matter. Now, it appears his message has been acknowledged.

    “Remember the Name” recently turned to X to announce that his profile now features the Palestinian flag. He expressed gratitude to White for taking prompt repsonse and commended the UFC for allowing fighters to express themselves freely.

    “I just want to give a quick shoutout to Dana,” Belal Muhammad said. I talked to him, he said the flag’s back up tonight. [He] apologized, and that’s why I love the UFC. I love this company, and that’s why Dana’s the man. The only organization that lets you be yourself. And true to his word, and doesn’t let other people sway his attitude or what he’s going to do. So, shout out to Dana. Shout out to the UFC. Flag is back, baby.”

    As of now, the once-absent Palestinian flag has been restored to Muhammad’s profile on the UFC’s official website.

    Belal Muhammad is set to return to action after a 10-month hiatus. He last fought at UFC 304 in July, where he earned a dominant unanimous decision victory over Leon Edwards to clinch the welterweight title.

    The 36-year-old American was originally set to defend his championship against the undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC 310 in December. However, a leg infection forced Muhammad to withdraw, leading to the bout’s cancellation.

     

  • Belal Muhammad Reminds Dana White Of ‘Free Speech’ Claim Amid Flag Controversy

    Belal Muhammad Reminds Dana White Of ‘Free Speech’ Claim Amid Flag Controversy

    Belal Muhammad is calling on Dana White to step in and fix an issue with his profile on the official UFC website.

    Although hailing from Chicago, Muhammad has never shied away from his Palestinian roots. He has proudly showcased his identity throughout his UFC career, whether by proudly displaying the Palestinian flag in victory or using his platform to be a vocal advocate for the Palestinian people on social media.

    On the UFC’s official website, fighters customarily have their national flags displayed beside their names. However, recently, “Remember the Name” was notably left without one. This omission did not go unnoticed, drawing criticism from fans online and fueling speculation about the reason behind the blank space.

    On Thursday, the reigning UFC welterweight champion took to X, urging White to uphold the very free speech he often advocates. Muhammad also pressed the UFC CEO to acknowledge and resolve the issue regarding his missing flag.

    “People keep asking me, ‘Where’s your flag?’ I kept getting multiple messages from it, and I was assuming it was a mistake, but it’s still not addressed,” Muhammad said. “So I’ll address it and hope that Dana addresses it as well and fixes it, because Dana said he’s all about free speech. He’s all about people supporting who they want to support and not muting or silencing anybody. I’m hoping that the UFC fixes this issue and puts my flag next to my name so the people that I represent, the people that I fight for, and the people that I train for, will see their flag.”

    Belal Muhammad is set to put his 170-pound title on the line for the first time when he squares off against Jack Della Maddalena in the main event of UFC 315, scheduled for May 10 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada.

    The 36-year-old American last stepped into the Octagon at UFC 304 in July, where he dethroned Leon Edwards to claim the welterweight title via unanimous decision.

  • WATCH: UFC 315 On-Sale Press Conference For Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena, Shevchenko vs. Fiorot

    WATCH: UFC 315 On-Sale Press Conference For Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena, Shevchenko vs. Fiorot

    The top fighters confirmed to be in action at UFC 315 on May 10 will take to the stage for an on-sale press conference in the event’s host city this week.

    Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion will return to Canada later this year for the first time in 2025. After trips to Toronto and Edmonton last year, the promotion’s latest trip to “The Great White North” will see Octagon action go down in Montréal.

    The main event will see UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad make his first defense of the title. After an injury to Shavkat Rakhmonov, “Remember the Name” will face the challenge of Australian striker Jack Della Maddalena.

    There will also be championship stakes in the co-headliner, with Valentina Shevchenko returning for the first defense of her second reign, which got underway with redemption against Alexa Grasso last September. If she’s to remain on the throne, “Bullet” will have to become the first woman to defeat France’s Manon Fiorot in the UFC.

    With Fight Club Pre-Sale starting on Wednesday, the promotion is hosting a press conference in Montréal, where Muhammad, Della Maddalena, Shevchenko and Fiorot will all have mics in hand.

    See below for a live stream of the presser via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, commencing at 11:30 AM ET.

    UFC 315 On-Sale Press Conference Live Stream

  • José Aldo Faces Bantamweight On 5-Fight Winning Streak At UFC 315 In Montreal

    The return of legendary former UFC featherweight champion José Aldo is set for the upcoming May pay-per-view in Canada.

    Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is heading back to “The Great White North” later this year to stage a numbered event inside Montreal’s Bell Centre, where championship defenses for Belal Muhammad and Valentina Shevchenko will headline.

    A number of notable names are slated to compete on the undercard, including the likes of Alexa Grasso, Gilbert Burns, and Jéssica Andrade. And this week saw another former champion added to the equation, with Aldo (32-9) scheduled to face Aiemann Zahabi (12-2) in enemy territory.

    The bout was first reported by journalist Benoit Beaudoin before being officially announced by the promotion.

    For the #11-ranked Aldo, the contest marks his third since returning from a short-lived retirement. The Brazilian has gone 1-1 thus far, defeating Jonathan Martinez at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro last May but falling short against Mario Bautista five months later in Salt Lake City.

    #13-ranked contender Zahabi, meanwhile, has won five straight fights to climb the ladder at 135 pounds. The Canadian 37-year-old most recently outpointed veteran Pedro Munhoz in Edmonton last November.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 315 in Montreal on May 10 are as follows:

    • Belal Muhammad (C) vs. Jack Della Maddalena (welterweight championship)
    • Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot (women’s flyweight championship)
    • José Aldo vs. Aiemann Zahabi (bantamweight)
    • Alexa Grasso vs. Natália Silva (women’s flyweight)
    • Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales (welterweight)
    • Jéssica Andrade vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius (women’s flyweight)
    • Mike Malott vs. Charles Radtke (welterweight)
    • Marc-André Barriault vs. Bruno Silva (middleweight)
    • Brad Katona vs. Bekzat Almakhan (bantamweight)
    • Hailey Cowan vs. Nora Cornolle (women’s bantamweight)
  • Jasmine Jasudavicius Set For Big Opportunity vs. Former Champion On Home Soil At UFC 315

    Jasmine Jasudavicius Set For Big Opportunity vs. Former Champion On Home Soil At UFC 315

    Charging UFC flyweight contender Jasmine Jasudavicius will look to keep her ball rolling on MMA’s biggest stage by notching another victory in front of her fellow Canadians.

    Jasudavicius (13-3) has climbed into the top 10 at 125 pounds off the back of a mightily impressive run, which has seen her win four straight fights since a setback opposite Tracy Cortez in 2023.

    After going 1-1 in 2022 and 2-1 in 2023, the Canadian standout enjoyed an unbeaten 3-0 2024 in the Octagon. After initially bouncing back from her setback against Cortez by submitting Priscila Cachoeira on home soil last January, the 35-year-old outpointed highly regarded debutant Fatima Kline in Colorado before securing another finish in front of her compatriots at the expense of Ariane Lipski da Silva.

    Those wins, two of which earned her Performance of the Night bonuses, earned Jasudavicius fifth place in last year’s MMA News Female Fighter of the Year award.

    And she opened her account for 2025 with similar success, getting the better of former title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1. The Ontario native will now get another boost in competition, facing ex-strawweight queen and current #7-ranked flyweight contender Jéssica Andrade (26-13) at UFC 315 in Montreal on May 10.

    Andrade has fluctuated between weight classes since losing the 115-pound gold in 2019. And her pursuit of two-division glory has continued despite a failed title bid against Valentina Shevchenko in 2021.

    “Bate Estaca” most recently returned to flyweight following two wins over Mackenzie Dern and Marina Rodriguez at strawweight. She fell short on the scorecards to fellow countrywoman Natália Silva in their Fight of the Night contest at the Apex last September.

    With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 315 in Montreal on May 10 are as follows:

    • Belal Muhammad (C) vs. Jack Della Maddalena (welterweight championship)
    • Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot (women’s flyweight championship)
    • Alexa Grasso vs. Natália Silva (women’s flyweight)
    • Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales (welterweight)
    • Jéssica Andrade vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius (women’s flyweight)
    • Mike Malott vs. Charles Radtke (welterweight)
    • Marc-André Barriault vs. Bruno Silva (middleweight)
    • Brad Katona vs. Bekzat Almakhan (bantamweight)
    • Hailey Cowan vs. Nora Cornolle (women’s bantamweight)
  • Jack Della Maddalena Pulled From UFC London, Challenges Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad At UFC 315

    Jack Della Maddalena Pulled From UFC London, Challenges Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad At UFC 315

    A new main event is set to go down in London next month after Jack Della Maddalena was announced as the next challenger to UFC Welterweight Champion Belal Muhammad’s reign.

    Della Maddalena was originally set to headline on March 22 in England’s capital in a likely title eliminator opposite Leon Edwards. But among a slew of announcements Thursday night, UFC CEO Dana White revealed that the Australian has been replaced by Sean Brady.

    Rather than injury or travel issues causing the chance, Della Maddalena has found himself with an unexpected opportunity to capture gold next time out.

    The striking specialist will headline UFC 315 in Montreal on May 10 in competition for Muhammad’s title due to an injury to number one contender Shavkat Rakhmonov.

    “Nomad” has now seen two planned championship chances slip away. He was originally set to compete for the gold last December before a bone infection forced Muhammad out on late notice. He subsequently beat Ian Garry to further cement his claim to the next shot.

    The Kazakh fighter will now be waiting in the wings to face the winner, as Della Maddalena looks to ride his undefeated UFC record all the way to the top in the “Great White North.”

  • Alexa Grasso Returns At UFC 315 In Montreal, Faces Rising Contender On 12-Fight Winning Streak

    Alexa Grasso Returns At UFC 315 In Montreal, Faces Rising Contender On 12-Fight Winning Streak

    Former UFC women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso has her first fight since losing the title in the calendar.

    Grasso (16-4-1) was unseated from the 125-pound throne last September at the second Noche UFC event. Having previously defeated and fought to a draw against the woman she took the gold from, Valentina Shevchenko, the Mexican was unable to record a second victory over “Bullet” in their trilogy.

    In the co-main event inside the Sphere, Grasso was comfortably beaten across five rounds. The one-sided manner of the loss ruled out any chance of the ex-champ getting an immediate shot at regaining the belt, and she’ll now have to earn it in a potential title eliminator.

    And that now appears to be booked, with Sportsnet reporting that Grasso will share the cage with surging contender Natália Silva (18-5-1) at UFC 315 in Montréal, Québec, Canada on May 10.

    Silva has risen to #5 in the flyweight division courtesy of a spotless 6-0 record on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage since debuting back in 2022.

    The former Jungle Fight champion established herself as one to watch with a highlight reel knockout against Tereza Bledá and beatdown of Victoria Leonardo, and she’s since broken through into title contention with decision wins over Andrea Lee, Viviane Araújo, and Jéssica Andrade.

    Should she add Grasso’s name to a winning streak that currently spans 12 straight fights, Silva would likely place herself in line to challenge the winner of Shevchenko’s expected title defense opposite Manon Fiorot this year.