Islam Makhachev’s Coach Points out Grave Mistake from Belal Muhammad at UFC 315

Belal Muhammad under a scope for striking-plan and leaving welterweight crown in Jack Della Maddalena's hands, at UFC 315 PPV headliner.

Islam Makhachev’s Coach Points out Grave Mistake from Belal Muhammad at UFC 315

Belal Muhammad's striking plan vs. Jack Della Maddalena critiqued after title loss (Source: X)

Welterweight Jack Della Maddalena logged the biggest win of his career this weekend, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada (May 10). He defeated former 170-pound champ Belal Muhammad to etch his standing as the 13th undisputed UFC Welterweight champ at UFC 315.

Belal Muhammad snagged gold in an empathetic manner with a PPV July headliner beatdown at Co-op Live in Manchester. But this time around, ‘Remember the Name’ didn’t remember the strategy; he fell in love with his overt strike-heavy ‘Canelo Hands’ plan and lost his gold. In a recent sit-down, Islam Makhachev’s coach, Javier Mendez, glaringly pointed out this strike plan as an element that struck out.

My heart goes out to Belal. He’s a warrior, and he’ll come back and do well in his next fight. He didn’t fight his normal fight when he fought Leon Edwards, and that’s the fight he should’ve fought because he’s fighting a very, very good striker. I’m kind of shocked that he didn’t go to the wrestling mode, but maybe Jack didn’t allow him.

Javier Mendez to Denis Shkuratov for the ‘Submission Radio’ Show for SBNation Network (🎥: @SubmissionRadio on YT)

Muhammad has boisterous success against ‘headshot dead’ fame strike phenom Leon Edwards, last July. It’s something Muhammad’s striking coach, Horacio Gutierrez, came up with during a UFC ‘Embedded’ Vlog series shoot, talking up his improving striking skills. However, Mendez found it weird that the former champ didn’t bank more on his wrestling.

Prominent PFL champion Louis Taylor’s wrestling prodigy, Muhammad, is also a Team AKA practitioner and has good wrestling roots. He did use much of it on Jack Della Maddalena but failed on the TD attempts in the early two frames. But he did break out on solid combos. JDM just had sharper technical output, plus the benefit of a late knee to the face, causing a cut. He defeated Muhammad via UD – 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46 – to win the welterweight gold at UFC 315.

The Title Talks: Does Belal Muhammad tout ‘Canelo Hands’?

Ahead of beating Rocky to claim the 170-pound hardware and top spot, Belal Muhammad and his Canelo Hand allure got to be a viral thing. It was a puzzling setting, specifically as he has always been more renowned as a grappler. Outside of training and input from Team Khabib against Sean Brady (with Round-two TKO), he has always outwrestled to decision wins.

New champ Jack Della Maddalena rates Belal Muhammad's boxing threat after UFC 315
New champ Jack Della Maddalena rates Belal Muhammad’s boxing threat after UFC 315 (Source: X)

However, UFC 304 got to be an eye-opener that Muhammad can stand on his feet as well and that most TD defenses are feeble, with fighters unwilling/Incapable of answering the relentless efforts. Jack Della Maddalena, though, proved different as a first-time PPV title challenger at UFC 315.

He stuck to his crisp standup but also backed it with proper tanks of cardio. Not many can answer the cardio of ground-game practitioners from Team AKA and/or camp associates. After the course of their five-round PPV title fight, Jack Della Maddalena answered if the American-Palestinian did actually have Canelo Hands.

No, he didn’t, Canelo is the man, but he didn’t. Props to him, he said he would stand in there, I didn’t think he would, but he did…

Jack Della Maddalena backstage at UFC 315 PPV, for Kariouz Bros YouTube channel

The new champ, however, did give his props to Belal Muhammad for sticking to his promise and going for a barnburner on his feet. R2-3 onwards, he even has some technical body kicks and some nasty counters to go on the block. Muhammad even doused one of the nastiest and strongest chins in the fight; UFC 315 PPV: Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena won the FOTN honors with a change in guard.

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