The upcoming title fight in the weight class of Shavkat Rakhmonov (19-0) in the UFC will feature champion Belal Muhammad (24-3-0-1) against contender Jack Della Maddalena (17-2). A correspondent from Vesti.kz sought the opinion of renowned domestic expert Aidar Makmetov regarding this match.
"Firstly, both fighters are on long winning streaks, including in the UFC. As far as I remember, Muhammad has ten consecutive victories, while Jack boasts seven wins in a row and has not lost in the UFC. Additionally, Jack is a young guy at 28 years old, on the rise, and feels very comfortable in striking exchanges.
His rugby background, usually developed in childhood in Australia, provides excellent practice. It instills necessary motor skills from an early age. Since rugby is a team sport, it helps in making quick decisions and adapting. Jack demonstrates this," Makmetov highlighted, pointing out this unusual detail.
Despite the advantages of the Australian contender, the expert considers the current champion Muhammad to be the favorite, albeit not overwhelmingly so.
"For Della Maddalena, this is an unexpected opportunity that he will try to capitalize on fully. Furthermore, this is not a short-notice fight. There is ample time to prepare for a match of this level. I also believe that Jack has already been in training. Therefore, I rate his chances highly.
I think Belal will have more opportunities to 'grind him out,' attempting to take Jack down and inflict ground-and-pound. However, Jack will engage in striking and will be very dangerous. I assess this fight as roughly 60-40 in favor of Muhammad," he stated.
Makmetov also highlighted three key advantages of Jack that could assist him in the fight against Belal.
"I understand that many do not give Della Maddalena a chance, considering him an easy matchup for Muhammad. But I don't think so. Maddalena is quite a tricky opponent, as evidenced by his technical knockout of Ramazan Amiev in the first round.
Therefore, youth is a significant asset for Maddalena, as well as his ability to strike effectively and defend against takedowns. Hence, I rate his chances highly. However, it's 60-40 in favor of Muhammad because he is the more experienced fighter and is at the peak of his form. But he will also gradually decline due to age," Makmetov believes.
We also asked the expert who among the two fighters might be a more favorable matchup for Kazakhstan's Rakhmonov.
"I can't say. Both are quite tricky; at this level, all opponents are challenging for each other. Anyone fighting for the title is already a versatile fighter. Let's wait for the fight. Often, people get injured, and someone else has to step in.
Let's hope everything goes smoothly and no one gets injured. We will see this fight and then understand how Shavkat needs to approach fighting either of them. In any case, he needs to prepare well for both," concluded Makmetov.
Remember, the fight between the 36-year-old Muhammad and 28-year-old Maddalena will headline UFC 315, taking place on May 11 in Montreal, Canada. For the American-Palestinian, this will be his first title defense since winning it in the summer of 2024. Meanwhile, for Jack, this will be his first title shot.