Kamaru Usman issues final verdict on Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena title fight at UFC 315

Kamaru Usman recently offered his perspective on the highly anticipated title showdown between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena. 'Remember the Name' is set to make the first defense of his welterweight title against Maddalena in the main event of UFC 315 this weekend at the Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Although the Muhammad vs. Maddalena clash is widely viewed as a classic grappler vs. striker matchup, the reigning champion has vowed in the lead-up to the fight that he intends to forgo his wrestling advantage and engage his opponent on the feet.

During a recent video on his YouTube channel, Usman offered his prediction for the UFC 315 headliner, acknowledging that both fighters have what it takes to secure the win. However, the former welterweight king dismissed Muhammad's assertion that he won’t grapple against Maddalena, warning that if 'Remember the Name' sticks exclusively to striking, he’ll be playing right into his opponent’s strengths:

"There’s all these reports of him saying, ‘Oh, [I have] Canelo hands, I’m gonna just box, I’m not even going to shoot for one takedown,’ which I think is absurd, and I think it’s cap. If you don’t shoot for a takedown, you greatly diminish or even the odds, and why would you want to do that, especially as a champion? So I think he’s definitely going to try to get a takedown and mix it up."

He added:

"If he does that, I do see a victory for Belal Muhammad. But if he does not do that and he tries to just play with his hands, which like I said, I think is all cap, I give a good chance to Jack."

Check out Kamaru Usman's comments below (9:48):

'The Nigerian Nightmare' is set to return to the octagon after nearly two years to face Joaquin Buckley in the main event of UFC Atlanta on June 14.

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When Belal Muhammad shared why he ruled out Kamaru Usman for his first title defense

After Belal Muhammad captured the welterweight title by defeating Leon Edwards at UFC 304, Kamaru Usman quickly threw his name into the mix as the next title challenger. However, the callout didn’t sit well with 'Remember the Name,' who fired back with criticism, sparking a fiery exchange between the two on social media.

During an interview with Submission Radio in Spetmber 2024, Muhammad dismissed 'The Nigerian Nightmare' as a legitimate contender, citing his current three-fight skid:

"If I go out there and I beat Usman, it's like, 'Well, he's on a three-fight losing streak, he's done, he has no knees, you just beat a bum.' But if I go out there and beat Shavkat, then nothing. He's undefeated, he has all the finishes, so that's the guy that I have my sights on."

Check out Belal Muhammad's comments below (16:10):