Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Javier Mendez Critiques Belal Muhammad’s UFC 315 Strategy – Costly Stand-Up Battle Ending in Defeat to Jack Della Maddalena

A closer look at Mendez’s critique of Muhammad’s UFC 315 game plan.

Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Belal Muhammad’s decision to stand and trade with Jack Della Maddalena in their UFC 315 (back in May 2025) title fight has drawn firm pushback from coach Javier Mendez, who disagrees with the execution. Muhammad lost by unanimous decision in Saturday’s main event at Bell Centre in Montreal, absorbing heavy damage in a largely striking-based contest that left him with a broken nose and orbital bone injury. For Mendez, the outcome reflected a fighter abandoning the approach that brought him to the championship stage.

🗣️ Javier Mendez believes Belal fought with the wrong strategy against Jack Della

“I really watched that so many times. I had that sucker 2–2 until the last round. Which is where Jack won.”

“In my opinion, it was really close, but I had it for Jack for sure. It wasn’t a give-me… pic.twitter.com/QyHxyDVlOp
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) November 10, 2025

Inside Mendez’s Critique of Muhammad’s Striking

Mendez compared Muhammad’s mindset to moments he witnessed during Khabib Nurmagomedov’s rise. When the undefeated champion occasionally wanted to prove a point with his striking rather than lean on his elite grappling. The difference, Mendez noted, is that Khabib was never punished for those choices the way Muhammad was against Della Maddalena.

“None of us thought that Belal would be able to beat him just standing up, so he wanted to do what none of us thought that he could do, that’s what I’m thinking,” Mendez Stated to Submission Radio. “I could be wrong, but that’s what it appeared like to me that he wanted to stand. He didn’t want to implement what got him the title. I used to be on Khabib all the time because everybody always criticized him for not being good at striking.”

🏋️‍♂️ Javier Mendez explains how Islam’s training camp went and gives a weight update

Javier Mendez revealed that Islam came into this camp heavier than usual 💪

“He would walk into training camp around 179–180 lbs, and this camp here he came about 190–191 — it’s 10 lbs heavier.”… pic.twitter.com/kq7EMEBkHk
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) November 10, 2025

Mendez elaborated further through Khabib’s example. “I’d always keep him on track, but he’d always go off track trying to prove to people that he could stand, and he could stand as the fights went on later. Later, he was able to stand really well, extremely well. But I still didn’t like that because I wanted him to go back to what made him the best, and that’s the mistake a lot of fighters make. They want to try to prove their point that they can do things that people think they can’t do.”

Belal Muhammad exits the octagon after losing his title to Jack Della Maddalena at #UFC315 pic.twitter.com/RpuxYdMz8w
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) May 11, 2025

While critical of Muhammad’s approach, Mendez emphasized that Della Maddalena also deserves full credit for dictating the fight. “At the same time, too, maybe Jack didn’t allow him those opportunities,” he said. “But Jack did a great job. He mixes up his punches and his kicks really well, keeps his distance really well, stayed in the middle the majority of the time. He’s all around just a really, really good fighter.”

For Muhammad, the loss may prove a harsh lesson in the dangers of leaving proven strengths behind on the biggest stage.

Mandatory Image Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Belal Muhammad

Jack Della Maddalena

Javier Mendez

UFC 315

Rudra Dubey

nfl

mma

I’m an academic turned sports writer from Raipur, India, specializing in the NFL, MMA, and tennis at The Playoffs. I previously wrote for Sportskeeda and hold a B.A. and M.A. in History. My journey into sports media began far from the field, rooted in the arts and sciences. Funny enough, I didn’t grow up a sports fan; I used to see it all as just noise. But a fateful writing job introduced me to the world of sports, and what began as a gig quickly became a passion. I understood those voices aren’t noise; they’re emotions of true sports fans, and now I am one of them, writing with the same energy I once questioned.