Issue 217

May 2025

This is the frame where more Aussie grit shattered the script that’s seen yet another belt heading to the Southern Hemisphere. Jack Della Maddalena, a tad bloodied but surgical, throws the punch that yanked the welterweight crown from Belal Muhammad’s iron grip. It wasn’t a clean knockout style win that we love, but it didn’t need to be. In a war waged over five bruising rounds, this right hand was the exclamation mark on a thesis of punishment. During the night, Della’s footwork had carved angles, his jab had set traps, and when the moment came, he fired with precision honed through over a year of inactivity. Muhammad’s plan to stand and trade gave the Perth native exactly what he needed: time and space to do damage. In this frozen moment, Della took control of the welterweight story and took the ending back to Australia to celebrate with another champ. 

Date: May 10, 2025

Location: UFC 315, Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec