Jack Della Maddalena knew he had to get ready for a war when preparing to face Belal Muhammad at UFC 315, and that’s exactly what the fight delivered.
The back-and-forth battled ended up earning Fight of the Night honors after Muhammad lived up to his promise prior to the event to show off his striking and largely avoid takedowns. Perhaps that is what ultimately cost Muhammad his title, although Della Maddalena wasn’t totally shocked by his approach.
“Not really [surprised by his game plan],” Della Maddalena said about Muhammad at the UFC 315 post-fight press conference. “He was saying he wasn’t going to do takedowns but I was expecting I guess an all-around offense. I guess you can never expect anything. You’ve just got to roll with it. I feel that’s what I did.”
While he did give up a couple of takedowns during the five-round fight, Della Maddalena never really took any damage on the ground and was repeatedly able to scramble back to his feet.
Funny enough, Della Maddalena’s own strategy involved staying in the center of the octagon and never allowing Muhammad to control him against the cage. While he did get stuck in that position several times during the fight, Della Maddalena also connected with some of his best strikes whenever Muhammad closed the distance and fought Della Maddalena inside a phone booth.
“The game plan was to stay off the fence,” Della Maddalena said. “Like, he does his best work on the fence. So I was trying to stay off the fence but he was just walking down, pushing me up against the fence. I felt like every time he came in, I was able to hit him and then get off the fence.
“I was expecting a tough fight. Obviously, he’s a good fighter, a pressure fighter, good wrestling, he’s pretty well-rounded. I was expecting a tough fight.”
By the fifth and final round, the scorecards were potentially all over the place and rather than allowing the judges to get involved, Della Maddalena wanted to deliver a finish.
He nearly made his dream come true after he cracked Muhammad with a blistering combination that had the now-former champion wobbled on the feet. To his credit, Muhammad continuously showed off unbelievable durability with Della Maddalena desperately attempting to put him away.
“I was hoping to get him out of there,” Della Maddalena said. “I’ve been thinking all week it would be cool to get that late fight finish like with Gilbert Burns. It felt good to rally through and then take him out at the end. But I tried.”
When the fight was over, Della Maddalena really didn’t know what to expect with the decision, but his coaches assured him that he did enough to win. That was exactly correct with the judges giving him the nod with the scorecards reading 49-46, 48-47 and 48-47 as Della Maddalena was crowned UFC champion.
“You never know but I was confident I had done pretty good work,” Della Maddalena said. “But I guess you never know when you leave it to the judges. When I finished the fight, I asked the corner a few times and they said, ‘Yep, you definitely won that.’”
from MMA Fighting - All Posts https://ift.tt/iNgxh2C
0 Comments
Dear valued readers,
I am writing to you today as LaPhezz, an international man of mystery with a passion for technology and a fascination for analytics. I have traveled the world and lived in many different places, and I have experienced a wide range of cultures and perspectives.
Despite my travels and encounters with countless people from all walks of life, I remain something of an enigma. My true identity is known to only a select few, and even those who know me well are often left guessing at my motivations and intentions.
As a tech enthusiast, I am always looking for new ways to leverage data and analytics to solve complex problems and make the world a better place. I believe that technology can be a powerful tool for positive change, and I am constantly exploring the latest trends and innovations in the field.
I am grateful to have such a diverse and engaged readership, and I am always eager to hear your feedback and insights. Whether you have questions about my work, suggestions for new topics to explore, or simply want to connect with a fellow tech enthusiast, I am always here to listen and engage.
Thank you for your continued support and interest in my work. Together, we can use technology and analytics to create a brighter, more connected world.
Best regards,
LaPhezz