Jack Della Maddalena secured a significant victory at UFC 315, claiming the welterweight title from Belal Muhammad. The Australian fighter won by unanimous decision following a hard-fought, bloody contest in Canada. The former champion struggled in the initial rounds and couldn`t mount a sufficient comeback later in the fight.
Earlier on the card, Valentina Shevchenko successfully defended her title in the women`s flyweight division against Manon Fiorot. UFC icon Jose Aldo also announced his retirement from the sport after suffering a defeat to Aiemann Zahabi.
Main Event: Della Maddalena vs. Muhammad
The highly anticipated main event for the welterweight championship saw Jack Della Maddalena face off against Belal Muhammad. Della Maddalena`s precise striking and movement gave him the edge in the early rounds, effectively countering Muhammad`s attempts to grapple and control the center of the octagon. While Muhammad found more success with pressure and strikes in the championship rounds, landing heavy shots in a gritty, bloody exchange, it wasn`t enough to sway the judges. The fight went the full five rounds, with Della Maddalena earning the unanimous decision victory, scored 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46.
Following his title win, Della Maddalena commented on the fight and his opponent, stating, “Coming in here against someone like Belal, with that sort of pressure, I knew I had to be smart. Belal`s a tough dude, he`s not easy to put away.” He celebrated the achievement for his home country, adding, “Australia baby, we`ve got three of these [belts], lets go!”
Della Maddalena`s title capture makes him the third active Australian UFC world champion, joining Robert Whittaker and featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski. His ascent came after overcoming a serious health scare—a severe arm infection requiring multiple surgeries and extended hospital stays after a prior bout.
Speculation is already circulating regarding Della Maddalena`s first title defense. Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev has expressed interest in moving up in weight to challenge for the welterweight belt, aiming to become a two-division champion.
Shevchenko Retains Flyweight Title
Valentina Shevchenko solidified her status as one of the sport`s greats with her eighth successful title defense, defeating Manon Fiorot by unanimous decision. The judges scored the bout 48-47 across all cards in favor of “The Bullet.”
Post-fight, Shevchenko acknowledged Fiorot`s toughness, saying, “She Fiorot is a hard opponent, a good striker, everything I was preparing for the fight, I was able to do.” When asked about her longevity at the top level, she emphasized the importance of mental and physical well-being over age: “I keep going, numbers are nothing to me, it`s about how you feel mentally and physically, this is the most important.”
With a dominant run in the division, attention turns to Shevchenko`s next challenger. Natalia Silva, who secured a dominant unanimous decision victory over former champion Alexa Grasso on the same card, is strongly positioned to be the next contender. Silva`s impressive performance is expected to significantly boost her ranking and could set up a compelling new test for the champion.
Jose Aldo Announces Retirement
UFC legend and former featherweight champion Jose Aldo announced his retirement from mixed martial arts following his unanimous decision loss to Aiemann Zahabi. In an emotional moment in the octagon, Aldo removed his gloves.
Reflecting on his career and decision, Aldo said, “Thank you to Dana, for everybody at the UFC, for everything you`ve given me. I don`t think I have it in me anymore, everything was very tough, not just the weight cut. I don`t want to go into war all the time, I think this is the last time you`ll see me.”
Tributes from fellow fighters quickly flooded social media. BMF titleholder Max Holloway, a former opponent, posted, “Jose Aldo is a legend. Love to one of the greatest.” Lightweight Renato Moicano wrote, “Absolutely legend!!! You had a great career!!! Enjoy your retirement legend !!” Featherweight Dan Ige added, “[Jose Aldo] always a GOAT.”
UFC 315 Full Card Results
Here are the results from all the fights at UFC 315:
Main Card
- Jack Della Maddalena defeated Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision.
- Valentina Shevchenko defeated Manon Fiorot by unanimous decision.
- Aiemann Zahabi defeated Jose Aldo by unanimous decision.
- Natalie Silva defeated Alexa Grasso by unanimous decision.
- Benoit Saint-Denis defeated Kyle Prepolec by submission (rear-naked choke) in the second round.
Prelims
- Mike Malott defeated Charles Radtke by TKO (punches) in round two.
- Jasmine Jasudavicius defeated Jessica Andrade by submission (armbar) in round one.
- Modestas Bukauskas defeated Ion Cutelaba by split decision.
- Navajo Stirling defeated Ivan Erslan by unanimous decision.
Early Prelims
- Marc-Andre Barriault defeated Bruno Silva by KO (punch) in round one.
- Daniel Santos defeated Lee Jeong Yeong by unanimous decision.
- Bekzat Almakhan defeated Brad Katona by KO (punch) in round one.
Event Notes
UFC President Dana White was notably absent from the post-fight press conference, which led to fan discussion and concern regarding his non-appearance.
UFC icon Vitor Belfort was announced as an inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame, joining the Pioneer Wing. Belfort, a former Light Heavyweight champion, holds the promotion`s record for the most first-round finishes with 13.
Percy Harlow