MONTREAL – Belal Muhammad wants to show Jack Della Maddalena he’s a different beast in this MMA game.
The UFC welterweight champion is aware of the struggles his upcoming title challenger has experienced in his rise up the ranks, and that’s why he’s issued Della Maddalena (17-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) a warning ahead of their main event championship fight at UFC 315, which goes down on May 10 card at Bell Centre.
“I’m never a guy to underestimate anybody,” Muhammad told MMA Junkie when asked about Della Maddalena’s difficulties with grapplers. “I like to overestimate my opponents. So for me, you’ve had 14 months; you better have gotten better.
“Like I said, there’s levels to this. I’m not Bassil Hafez. I’m not Gilbert Burns. When you get in the cage with me, you’re going to realize, ‘Dang, this is why he’s the champion. Why does everyone keep saying he’s not that good? He’s definitely the best in the world.’ I want to have him leave the cage with that reaction. For him, it’s going to be a rough night, a tough night.”
Della Maddalena, although undefeated in the UFC, was taken down a total of 10 times in his two fights with Bassil Hafez and Gilbert Burns. Muhammad (24-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) is known for his pressure and high-level wrestling, which makes many believe he can get the job done.
Muhammad was originally scheduled to defend his title against Shavkat Rhakmonov, but injury for Rhakmonov derailed those plans. The 36-year-old is happy with Della Maddalena as a replacement, and thinks it was the right choice by the promotion.
“I think they made the right call when you look at the landscape of the division, Muhammad said. “He has the longest winning streak in the division, and he came off a big win against Gilbert Burns. When I look at everyone else: Usman is on a losing streak, Buckley had a good victory going, but I just think JDM is a little ahead of him with the opponent he just fought. But like I said, for me, as a champion, you have to fight anybody, you have to fight the best.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 315.
