Belal Muhammad is set to defend his welterweight title for the first time against an unexpected opponent, Jack Della Maddalena, in a new main event announced for UFC 315 on May 10. The bout takes place after Shavkat Rakhmonov pulled out due to injury.
Muhammad had initially been expected to face Rakhmonov, but the former is now facing the winner of the upcoming bout between Rakhmonov and Michael Morales. Della Maddalena replaces Leon Edwards in the title fight, who was scheduled to compete at UFC London against Sean Brady.
The welterweight champion, Muhammad, will make his first title defense after missing out on a previous fight due to injury in December 2019. He faces an opponent with a perfect 7-0 record, as Della Maddalena is currently undefeated in the UFC.
In another co-main event, flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko puts her title up for grabs against Manon Fiorot. Shevchenko’s upcoming fight marks a departure from her previous rivalry with Alexa Grasso, and comes after seven straight wins since joining the UFC roster.
UFC 315 will go down on May 10 at Bell Centre in Montreal, airing live on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
Source: https://www.mmafighting.com/2025/2/19/24369093/belal-muhammad-vs-jack-della-maddalena-valentina-shevchenko-vs-manon-fiorot-headlines-ufc-315