UFC welterweight (77.1 kg) champion "Remember The Name" Belal Muhammad (36, USA) is set to make his first title defense.

Muhammad will face No. 5-ranked Jack Della Maddalena (28, Australia) in the main event of "UFC 315: Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena" at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on the 11th.

It's time to make a name for himself. Muhammad has been overlooked for a long time. He even named his nickname "Remember My Name". After a five-year unbeaten streak of 10 fights, he secured a title shot in July of last year. Ultimately, at UFC 304, he defeated Leon Edwards by decision to become champion, finally breaking a long-standing hardship.

All the world's attention is focused on him. Muhammad (24 wins, 3 losses, 1 no contest) is now enjoying media and fellow fighter attention as a champion. Coming from a wrestling background, Muhammad has recently boasted that he has punches like boxing champion Canelo Alvarez. At the press conference, he said, "I will show that I am the best boxer in the UFC welterweight division," and declared, "I will knock out Della Maddalena."

Della Maddalena (17 wins, 2 losses), who faces Muhammad, is a striker on a 17-fight winning streak. He started boxing to maintain his physique during the off-season while playing rugby in school, which ultimately led to his mixed martial arts (MMA) career. He was selected as a title challenger after No. 1-ranked Shavkat Rakhmonov sustained a knee injury.

Della Maddalena scoffed at Muhammad's "Canelo punch" statement. He stated, "By watching Muhammad's previous fights, you can predict how he will come out. His strength lies in mixing strikes and grappling with high-pressure pace," adding, "I don't believe what he says."

Della Maddalena's goal is to retire Muhammad. He is fed up with Muhammad's endless insults, who claims to be "the best trash talker in the UFC." Della Maddalena stated, "I will overwhelmingly finish Muhammad," and stated, "Whether he retires after that is up to him."

Betting odds favor the champion at about 60 to 40. While Muhammad is confident in his victory, he noted, "I don't overlook anyone. The hardest fight is always the next one," displaying a cautious attitude. The challenger also stated, "This will be the toughest fight of my life," showing respect for the champion's abilities.

The co-main event will feature a UFC women's flyweight (56.7 kg) title match. Champion "Bullet" Valentina Shevchenko (37, Kyrgyzstan/Peru) will face No. 1-ranked "Beast" Manon Fiorot (35, France) in her first defense after regaining the title.

She aims to defend the champion belt she regained after one and a half years. Shevchenko (24 wins, 1 no contest, 4 losses), a former Muay Thai and kickboxing champion, is considered one of the greatest fighters in UFC history, having defended the UFC women's flyweight title seven times. After losing the title to Alexa Grasso at UFC 285 in 2023 and recording a no contest, she reclaimed the belt in a rematch last September.

Challenger Fiorot (12 wins, 1 loss) is a karate fighter on a 12-fight winning streak. She earned her title shot after dominating No. 3 Erin Blanchfield and No. 6 Rose Namajunas. While she has a strong striking game as a karate black belt, she also holds a jiu-jitsu black belt.

The betting dividends are about 55 to 45, slightly favoring the challenger. Fiorot stated, "I don't pay much attention to the odds, but it's always nice to be favored," explaining, "In my last three fights, I've won completely overwhelmingly, while Shevchenko has fought tough matches."

In the undercard of this event, "Korean Tiger" Lee Jung-young (29) will return after his first career TKO loss. He will clash with former UFC lightweight champion's teammate "Wildcat" Daniel Santos (30, Brazil).

Though he was a Korean tiger who reigned in Asia, the UFC stage was not easy for him. Lee Jung-young (11 wins, 2 losses) suffered a TKO loss to Haider Amil after receiving 38 consecutive punches in his second UFC match last July.

Lee Jung-young is preparing for a comeback with Eddie Cha, the mentor of "Korean Zombie" Jung Chan-sung. He stated, "I used to be stubborn about finishing fights with strikes, but now I will listen to my coach's advice and fight smartly."

Lee Jung-young's opponent has changed twice. Santos (11 wins, 2 losses) accepted a replacement offer two weeks before the fight and moved up from bantamweight (61.2 kg) to featherweight. Lee Jung-young expressed, "He looks the smallest among all my opponents so far," and added, "I am confident of winning, so I will fight without regrets."

"UFC 315: Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena" main card will be broadcast live on TVING from 11 a.m. on May 11 (Sun), with the undercard starting at 9 a.m.

[Photo] Provided by UFC.

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