Jack Della Maddalena acknowledges the common perception of his upcoming match against Belal Muhammad at UFC 315 as a classic striker vs. grappler contest, but he`s quick to dismiss such a simplistic view.
He feels labeling the welterweight title bout so narrowly underestimates the full capabilities of both fighters. While Della Maddalena is well aware of the discussion around Muhammad`s wrestling and endurance, he also notes Muhammad`s own claims about having top-tier boxing skills, even referencing “Canelo hands.”
Della Maddalena doesn`t deny Muhammad`s ability to perform well in all aspects of the fight, but the Australian fighter is confident he possesses a slight edge across the board.
“He`s good at winning,” Della Maddalena remarked in an interview. “He`ll likely fall back on whatever he needs to do to get the win. I don`t underestimate his striking, but I believe I can handle him both standing and on the ground. I see myself as a more complete MMA fighter.”
“I wouldn`t specifically want just a boxing match with him,” he added, “because I enjoy mixed martial arts. I appreciate the rule set, especially kicking and elbowing.”
While Della Maddalena`s reputation is built on his powerful striking, he fully acknowledges Muhammad`s competency in stand-up exchanges.
Just three fights prior, Muhammad delivered an impressive knockout victory over Sean Brady, and he`s likely improved since then. Della Maddalena isn`t writing off Muhammad`s striking ability entirely, though he suspects the champion will prefer not to remain in striking range for extended periods during their fight.
“I find his striking fast,” Della Maddalena commented. “He has a quick, slightly unconventional style, which makes it effective. He doesn`t seem to focus on power in his shots; instead, he snaps them out quickly to touch you before potentially looking for a takedown. He`s certainly a well-rounded opponent.”
“Naturally, the fight begins standing,” he noted. “I expect him to test the waters there initially. If he finds some success with his quick, tapping strikes, he might stay standing for a while. But when he starts feeling pressured or uncomfortable, I anticipate he`ll transition back to his strongest area.”
Muhammad`s “bread and butter” is undoubtedly his grappling, combined with his capacity to maintain a high pace for five rounds. These skills have been key to his six-year undefeated streak.
Della Maddalena highly respects Muhammad`s grappling and conditioning, acknowledging that his recent win over Gilbert Burns, another grappling threat, will bring this topic up frequently. However, despite Burns` early successes in that fight, the outcome was a brutal third-round knockout by Della Maddalena.
“I believe I can stop the takedowns,” Della Maddalena stated. “While I`m comfortable fighting off my back, sometimes that can be detrimental in MMA. Preventing the takedown is my priority, as it makes the fight much simpler for me.”
“If the fight does go to the ground, I have methods to get back up,” he explained. “I can also threaten him from my back, but preventing the takedown altogether is the ideal path to victory. It conserves energy that I can then use for striking.”
Despite his impressive unbeaten streak and holding the championship for ten months, Muhammad faces considerable criticism, with many fighters predicting his eventual defeat.
Nevertheless, Muhammad consistently finds ways to win, a trait Della Maddalena clearly respects.
Similar to Muhammad, Della Maddalena has built his career through sheer hard work. He is known for rarely speaking ill of others, and this won`t change leading up to their fight.
While not necessarily “killing him with kindness,” Della Maddalena sees no point in trash-talking just to provoke Muhammad. He prefers his performance in the octagon to speak for him, stating that winning the title will be the most significant statement.
“I definitely respect his resume,” Della Maddalena acknowledged. “He`s had a very successful career. He`s clearly a hard worker and has compiled many wins, which is tough at this level of competition. I have respect for that.”
“There`s no personal animosity,” he concluded. “But I`m entering the fight with vicious intentions. That`s just part of the fight game.”
Marcus Blakely