UFC 315 predictions — Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena: Struggle card, odds, preview, picks, prelims

Belal Muhammad will put the welterweight title on the road towards Jack Della Maddalena this Saturday at UFC 315. Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena is only one of two title fights on the cardboard, with girls’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko dealing with Manon Fiorot within the co-main occasion.

Muhammad gained the title in his most up-to-date combat, bullying Leon Edwards en path to a transparent unanimous determination victory. In Della Maddalena, he faces a harmful striker who has gained 17 consecutive fights, with 14 coming by stoppage.

Shevchenko finds herself in the same place to Muhammad, making the primary protection of the title she regained in her most up-to-date outing towards a fighter on a prolonged successful streak. After seven defenses of the ladies’s flyweight title, Shevchenko suffered a surprising upset loss to Alexa Grasso. After combating Grasso to a draw within the rematch, Shevchenko gained their trilogy combat to regain the title. Now, she’ll put that belt on the road towards Fiorot, who’s using a 12-fight successful streak.

Elsewhere on the cardboard, former featherweight king Jose Aldo returns as soon as once more to tackle Aiemann Zahabi. After a short retirement, Aldo is 1-1 in his return and hoping to make waves once more to turn out to be a two-division champion. Plus, Grasso appears to be like to get again within the win column in a pivotal girls’s flyweight contest towards rising contender Natalia Silva. And rising French knockout artist Benoit Saint-Denis appears to be like so as to add to his resume towards short-notice foe Kyle Prepolec.

With a lot occurring on Saturday night time, let’s look nearer on the full combat card with the most recent odds earlier than we get to our workers predictions and picks for the PPV portion of the festivities.

UFC 315 combat card, odds

• Belal Muhammad (c) -190 vs. Jack Della Maddalena +150, welterweight title
• Manon Fiorot -140 vs. Valentina Shevchenko (c) +115, girls’s flyweight title
• Jose Aldo -220 vs. Aiemann Zahabi +175, featherweights
• Natalia Silva -225 vs. Alexa Grasso +175, girls’s flyweights
• Benoit Saint Denis -1115 vs. Kyle Prepolec +750, lightweights
• Lee Jeong Yeong -127 vs. Daniel Santos +102, featherweights
• Mike Malott -200 vs. Charles Radtke +160, welterweights
• Modestas Bukauskas -110 vs. Ion Cuțelaba -110, gentle heavyweights
• Jasmine Jasudavicius -335 vs. Jessica Andrade +250, girls’s flyweights
• Navajo Stirling -278 vs. Ivan Erslan +215, gentle heavyweights
• Joshua Van -480 vs. Bruno Silva +360, middleweights

With such an enormous primary occasion on faucet, the crew at CBS Sports activities went forward with predictions and picks for the principle card. Listed here are your choose makers: Brent Brookhouse (Fight sports activities author), Brian Campbell (Fight sports activities author), Shakiel Mahjouri (author), Michael Mormile (producer) and Brandon Smart (senior editor).

UFC 315 picks, predictions

Muhammad vs. Maddalena

Campbell: For all the attainable strengths and accolades to be showered upon Della Maddalena as a reliable title challenger, it is arduous to miss a couple of different elements. JDM has been idle for 14 months, wanted to rally within the last spherical to attain a TKO of Gilbert Burns whereas down on the scorecards and recorded a pair of split-decision wins earlier than that. Muhammad, for a way polarizing as he may be to the critics that decision him boring, has been nothing if not constant over his present 12-fight unbeaten streak. Muhammad not solely has the higher gasoline tank, he is extra confirmed as a five-round elite fighter. And though one may give the sting in placing to the challenger, Muhammad’s grappling benefits needs to be sufficient to manage the combat, particularly contemplating the success earlier opponents have had in taking Della Maddalena down. 

Brookhouse: I consider Della Maddalena has higher takedown protection than he is given credit score for. Burns was extraordinarily efficient on his takedowns towards Della Maddalena, however the one different time Della Maddalena was taken down greater than as soon as in a UFC combat was towards Bassil Hafez. In that combat, Hafez scored three complete takedowns … out of 20 makes an attempt. Muhammad has the higher wrestling, to make certain, but when he tries to stroll straight ahead into Della Maddalena and try to be a bully, he will be strolling by some heavy fireplace. I in all probability ought to have discovered my lesson to cease doubting Muhammad at this level, however this appears like a entice combat towards a really dwell underdog.

Mahjouri: Muhammad’s model and persona will not win everybody over, however his success is plain. Muhammad’s relentless pursuit of the takedown gained him a UFC championship and may assist him retain it. Della Maddalena is a superb boxer who would make for an thrilling champion. Sadly, it is arduous to miss how Burns took Della Maddalena down seven instances. Between that and the cut up determination wins over Kevin Holland and Bassil Hafez previous it, defeating the champ looks as if a bridge too far. Muhammad by unanimous determination or late stoppage looks as if a protected guess.

Shevchenko vs. Fiorot

Campbell: After regaining her title final fall on the age of 37 to conclude a memorable trilogy towards Alexa Grasso, Shevchenko solely furthered her the notion that she’s a dwelling legend and a surefire Corridor of Famer. However Shevchenko shall be a betting underdog towards the red-hot Fiorot, 35, who has gained all seven of her UFC fights towards one high contender and former title challenger after one other. It is not that Fiorot is not deserving of being the favourite as, save for some shut rounds towards Rose Namajunas, she has largely dominated the competitors. However Fiorot has usually completed so combating on her personal phrases completely by controlling distance and scoring from the surface with strikes. Shevchenko is just too expertise and effectively rounded to be taken evenly on this matchup. Even with Fiorot’s cussed takedown protection, Shevchenko will take a look at her in each attainable class from the clinch to how effectively she lands from the pocket with out taking large punishment in return. If Shevchenko can gradual the combat down and make it extra of a chess match, there is not any purpose why a detailed and aggressive upset will not be the consequence. 

Brookhouse: This combat comes right down to the non-striking dynamics of the fighters’ respective video games. They’re each excellent strikers, however Shevchenko has the sting in grappling. If Fiorot has a bit extra success than Shevchenko on the toes, Shevchenko can take the combat to the ground. I do not consider Fiorot has that very same sort of escape hatch if issues are taking part in out within the reverse. As well as, Shevchenko has an enormous benefit in expertise below the brightest lights and in five-round fights. 

Mahjouri: Shevchenko and Fiorot are the 2 finest girls’s flyweights. They excel at shutting down opponents and main the scorecards with placing numbers. Statistically, Fiorot has increased output, whereas Shevchenko mixes takedowns higher. This could possibly be a passing of the torch second, however it will not. Shevchenko’s expertise would be the distinction maker in a aggressive combat, making the higher choices when it issues most. I am going to facet with the champ through unanimous determination.

Aldo vs. Zahabi

Campbell: Aldo, the best featherweight within the sport’s historical past, has completed effectively in his twilight run at bantamweight and stays a harmful striker at 38 who has stayed in large form. The one subject of late has been his matchmaking as, for the third straight bout, Aldo enters a nondescript combat towards a youthful contender missing the thrill to make all of it really feel mandatory. At his age, Aldo will not be a reliable title contender any longer however there are many enjoyable fights towards fellow legends or motion stars that may make a ton of sense. This one ought to go Aldo’s manner, even with Zahabi, 35, using a five-fight win streak. If current interviews are any indication, Aldo’s resolve and “need to” proceed to show himself to his followers stays a key motivation for him. A stoppage victory and one other legendary response from an informed combat crowd like Montreal needs to be to ensure that one of many biggest fighters to ever placed on a pair of four-ounce gloves.

Brookhouse: Zahabi is an effective striker towards fringe contender-level fighters, however Aldo is an distinctive striker towards anybody on the earth. Zahabi has scored one takedown in eight UFC fights, so Aldo ought to be at liberty to let go together with punches and kicks with no risk of a takedown. If that is the case, it is so simple as siding with the MMA legend with superior placing, elite protection and blistering leg kicks. It does not seem like Zahabi is in for a enjoyable night time.

Mahjouri: Aldo’s longevity needs to be studied. It is spectacular that the 38-year-old nonetheless competes with ranked opponents within the deep bantamweight division. Zahabi has made vital progress since dropping his first two fights. Zahabi is an effective striker, however extra importantly, he is accountable. Zahabi’s placing protection and takedown protection are his strongest belongings. Sadly, he is about to run into one of many sport’s all-time finest. Aldo has a sturdy toolbelt and extra expertise than most. Zahabi does not possess the tide-turning expertise to beat the whole lot Aldo can throw at him. I see Aldo return to the win column by determination.

Who wins UFC 315: Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena, and the way precisely does the combat finish? Go to SportsLine now to get detailed picks and evaluation from the incomparable knowledgeable who’s up over $1,500 on his UFC main-card picks, and discover out.