MONTREAL — In the early hours of Sunday, Australian Jack Della Maddalena outperformed Belal Muhammad, winning the UFC welterweight title by unanimous decision, after a dramatic final-round scramble which left Muhammad bleeding from a knee strike.
Hailing from Perth, Della Maddalena, with his boxing expertise, successfully countered multiple takedown attempts by Muhammad, renowned for his wrestling prowess, maintaining the fight predominantly as a striking contest. This victory marked Della Maddalena’s 18th consecutive professional win, delivering the American his first defeat in six years.
“He brings the pressure… I knew I had to be sharp on my feet,” Della Maddalena said.
“I wanted to take him out of there. I was gunning for a finish but Belal is a tough dude.”
Early in the match, Della Maddalena nearly landed a knee strike to the center that missed, prompting Muhammad to retaliate with a punch and head kick. A combination of double jab and body kick from Della Maddalena frustrated Muhammad, who retaliated with a left hook before the Australian connected with strong straight punches.
“You are winning, he doesn’t have a clue what to do right now,” Della Maddalena’s corner told him after the third round, while Muhammad’s coaches implored him to go for the finish.
Muhammad led with a flurry of straights and jabs, and tried to hide his takedown attempt behind an uppercut. But Della Maddalena managed to stay on the feet, while Muhammad landed kicks near the fence.
“Five more minutes to realise all your dreams,” Della Maddalena’s corner told him going into the final round.
Della Maddalena cut Muhammad open with a knee but the American, not willing to give up, pushed the pace and landed a hook followed by a takedown, trying to finish the Australian with ground strikes.
But Della Maddalena got up, and unloaded on Muhammad with big punches to the head and body as they both went for a finish until the clock ran out, giving the Australian the win (48-47, 48-47, 49-46).
Makhachev next
Della Maddalena, 28, said he wanted to face lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, who had taken the belt from Australian champion Alexander Volkanovski.
“I think it’s a beautiful challenge. He’s the pound-for-pound number one. I want to get him back for Volk,” Della Maddalena said.
In the co-main event, Kyrgyzstan’s Valentina Shevchenko defended her flyweight belt with a unanimous decision over Manon Fiorot, who suffered her first loss after 12 straight wins.
Shevchenko’s right hooks left Fiorot’s nose bleeding in the first round, but the Frenchwoman fought back, pinning Shevchenko to the cage and landing knees from the clinch over the next two rounds.
But Shevchenko escaped a body lock in the fourth round and knocked Fiorot down, before landing a spinning backfist and a superwoman punch in the fifth and final round to ensure a 48-47 victory on all three judges’ scorecards.
