Belal Muhammad predicted to defeat Jack Della Maddalena by surging UFC contender

Belal Muhammad has been picked to thwart the challenge of Jack Della Maddalena, but one rising UFC contender doesn’t think it will be easy.

Muhammad’s UFC 315 showdown with Maddalena will mark his first attempt at a successful UFC Welterweight Championship defense. While Maddalena was expecting to clash with Leon Edwards, he got the call with an offer to fight for UFC gold once Shavkat Rakhmonov couldn’t make the date due to an injury.

While Muhammad is the betting favorite going into this Saturday’s card, Sean Brady warns that it’ll be no cake walk.

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Muhammad vs. Maddalena: Closer Than You Think?

Brady has been quickly rising up the welterweight rankings. He’ll be sure to keep a close eye on Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena. During a pre-UFC 315 edition of “The BradyBagz Show,” Brady admitted that he feels the upcoming welterweight title fight is a bit of a tossup. He’s still leaning with the champion (via MMAJunkie).

“A lot of things have to line up, but with that being said, Jack’s a f*cking very tough fight, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Jack wins this fight,” Brady continued. “Jack can knock people out, that’s usually how he wins fights. Belal’s been knocked out by Luque back in the day. He hasn’t been knocked out since, but he’s been dropped by Geoff Neal, got hurt by Leon, and Jack knocks guys out. He’s hard to take down and hold down. So, it’s going to be a very, very interesting fight. I’m picking Belal, but I would not be surprised if Jack wins this fight.”

This will be Maddalena’s first UFC title opportunity. After starting his pro MMA career with a record of 0-2, Maddalena has gone on a 17-fight winning streak. He is lauded for his striking abilities, and he recently told Athlon Sports that he has solid jiu-jitsu, although he admits he doesn’t want to get too comfortable in any position.