Jack Della Maddalena Wins The UFC Welterweight Championship, Spoils The Party For Makhachev vs. Topuria Enthusiasts

Jack Della Maddalena Shocks the World, Claims Welterweight Gold and Derails Makhachev vs. Topuria Superfight Buzz!

Jack Della Maddalena Wins The UFC Welterweight Championship, Spoils The Party For Makhachev vs. Topuria Enthusiasts

The UFC welterweight division has always been a shark tank. From Georges St-Pierre’s legendary reign to Kamaru Usman’s domination, the 170-pound weight class consistently delivers drama. Now, fans have got another seismic shift on their hands, and it is wearing Australian colors.

Jack Della Maddalena just crashed the UFC welterweight party in spectacular fashion. The Perth native, known for his slick striking and iron-clad takedown defense, wasn’t even supposed to be here. After Shavkat Rakhmonov’s injury forced him to the sidelines, Maddalena stepped up following a 14-month layoff of his own. The Aussie brawler went from rising contender to champion overnight.

Also Read: Islam Makhachev Eyes Welterweight Move Without Giving Up Lightweight Gold; Ilia Topuria Responds

The Main Event: How Jack Della Maddalena Dismantled Belal Muhammad

The Bell Centre in Montreal witnessed a masterclass in strike-and-move tactics. Maddalena’s footwork was simply too much for Muhammad to handle. The champion kept trying to close the distance and implement his wrestling, but it was like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands. JDM’s lateral movement frustrated Muhammad throughout the first two rounds, landing crisp punches while staying just outside of grappling range.

THE KNEE EARNS A CUT IN THE FINAL ROUND 😮‍💨

[ #UFC315 | Jack Della Maddalena ] pic.twitter.com/senNkqEcMi
— UFC (@ufc) May 11, 2025

When Muhammad finally did get his hands on the challenger, Maddalena’s takedown defense held firm. The champion was supposed to control the ground game, but Maddalena flipped the narrative. By round three, Muhammad started landing more effectively, but Maddalena remained unfazed, even attempting takedowns of his own.

#AndNEW 🏆 | #UFC315 | Jack Della Maddalena pic.twitter.com/W7Od4NEibi
— UFC (@ufc) May 11, 2025

The championship rounds showed Maddalena’s unexpected cardio reserves. For a guy in his first five-rounder, he looked remarkably composed. Muhammad tried to turn up the pressure, but ended up absorbing heavy damage for his troubles. The final round saw Muhammad secure a takedown, but Maddalena escaped and bloodied up the champion in the subsequent exchanges. The judges’ scorecards reflected the one-sided nature of the contest, with Maddalena taking a unanimous decision win (49-46, 48-47, 48-47).

Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuira: Dream Match Now In Danger

Well, this throws a monkey wrench into the UFC’s plans! The MMA rumor mill had been churning with talk about a potential Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria superfight. The lightweight king moving up to challenge the newly crowned welterweight champion seemed unlikely given Belal Muhammad’s dominance in the game.

But Della Maddalena flipped the script and outpointed Muhammad. Now, the fight between Islam Makhachev vs Ilia Topuria is in jeopardy. The current lightweight champion will most likely move up in weight class to challenge Della Maddalena for his tile. As for Topuria, he can fight Charles Oliveira for the title, whether undisputed or interim.

Dana White has CONFIRMED that Islam will fight JDM if he wins vs Belal Muhammad

Ilia will either face Islam or Charles, depending on who wins this weekend. pic.twitter.com/kbuMyoKRiL
— Emiel Sardarean (@Standemup) May 8, 2025

The UFC matchmakers are probably back at the drawing board right now. Maddalena’s upset victory just transformed the championship landscape across multiple divisions. With him being elated about the win, many people are disappointed at what this now entails!

(Image Credit: UFC News – X)

Belal Muhammad

Jack Della Maddalena

Jack Della Maddalena vs Belal Muhammad

UFC 315

Zaid Quraishi

mma

I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!