UFC 315: Jack Della Maddalena wins welterweight title against Belal Muhammad while defeated Jose Aldo retires

Jack Della Maddalena neutralised Belal Muhammad's wrestling skills, conceding only one takedown on his way to becoming the new welterweight champion in the main event of UFC 315 in Montreal. Australia's Della Maddalena, 28, won the five-rounder by scores of 48-47, 48-47, 49-45. He used volume striking to frustrate the now-former welterweight champion, nearly finishing the bout on several occasions. Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA) has now won 18 in a row. Muhammad (24-4, 1 NC) was making his first title defence and had won 11 consecutive fights. Della Maddalena credited Muhammad's toughness but said post-fight that he knew he wasn't going to let it slip away. “It felt good,” he said with a smile. “I knew I had to be smart. I knew I couldn’t spend too much time on my back.” Della Maddalena said he's intrigued by UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev's possible move to welterweight and he's open to exacting revenge on the Russian. His fellow Australian, Alexander Volkanovski, lost twice previously to Makhachev. It was a first loss for Muhammad, a Chicago native, since January 2019. Meanwhile, Valentina Shevchenko successfully defended her UFC women's flyweight title in the co-main event over Manon Fiorot, winning a unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) to hand Fiorot her first UFC loss. Despite a closely contested bout, Shevchenko (25-4, 1 NC MMA) pushed the pace in rounds four and five to tire out Fiorot and give the Frenchwoman little room to work after signs of early success through three gruelling rounds. “I expected a hard fight,” said Shevchenko, a 125-pounder from Kyrgyzstan. “It's not just experience [that made the difference] but also brains. Every day practising: power, speed, strategy.” The victory marked Shevchenko's 14th in the UFC, including 10 title fights. Initially scheduled as a bantamweight fight, Canadian featherweight Aiemann Zahabi earned a win by unanimous decision against former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo , taking the three scorecards by matching 29-28 scores. Aldo nearly finished Zahabi in Round 3 with a head kick, followed by a flurry of strikes. However, Zahabi was able to survive Aldo's attacks, gain the top position, and open a cut on Aldo. The win for Zahabi (13-2 MMA) marked Brazilian Aldo's (32-10) final MMA fight, announcing his retirement in the Octagon. “I just don't have it in my heart any more,” said Aldo, 38. “I think this is the last time you're going to see me.” Women's flyweight Natalia Silva of Brazil knocked off former champion Alexa Grasso from her top contender status with a unanimous decision win, all by 30-27 scores. Silva (19-5-1 MMA) has won her first six UFC fights, while Mexico's Grasso (16-5-1 MMA) has to return to the drawing board to remain in contention. Silva opened a noticeable cut above Grasso's eyelid, swinging the momentum in Round 2 before a one-sided Round 3 followed suit with dominant kickboxing ability. Lightweight Benoit Saint-Denis of France had no trouble beating Canadian Kyle Prepolec, a late replacement, with an arm triangle choke at 2:35 of the second round. It was Saint-Denis' (14-3) first win since November 2023, snapping a two-fight losing skid. Prepolec (18-9) stepped in for Joel Alvarez (22-3) and made his first Octagon appearance since 2019.

UFC 315: Jack Della Maddalena wins welterweight title against Belal Muhammad while defeated Jose Aldo retires

New champ claims title via unanimous decision in Montreal