“I’m going to go in there and outbox Jack,” declared Belal Muhammad earlier this month as he prepares for his first title defense against Jack Della Maddalena. The undisputed welterweight champion was initially set to face Shavkat Rakhmonov, but the Kazakh warrior withdrew due to injury, paving the way for the Aussie contender to step up. With just a month remaining, both fighters are in the thick of their preparations for what could be the defining moment of their careers. However, as Della Maddalena unveils his training regimen, fans can’t help but worry: Is he truly ready to go all out against the welterweight champion?

Well, a video has been making waves on social media, which Della Maddalena initially shared, but Australian MMA journalist ‘Benny P’ shared a screenshot of the video. What was so interesting about it? Well, Benny P captioned it, “Jack Della Maddalena training with Craig Jones ahead of his UFC Welterweight Championship fight against Belal Muhammad.” But it doesn’t end here.

In an Instagram story, he was seen posing with Jones in the gym. While the Australian knockout artist is known for his relentless striking and devastating power, the training clip has left some fans uneasy. Concerns around his footwork, defensive positioning, and overall sharpness persist.

While it’s true that the Australian has one of the best finishing ratios in the welterweight division (83%), what worries the MMA community is whether he will be able to withstand the relentless pressure that ‘Remember The Name’ applies. Belal Muhammad outclassed Leon Edwards back at UFC 304 and completely exposed his weaknesses in wrestling, and he is looking to replicate the same successes against Della Maddalena as well. The champion may have declared he won’t wrestle Maddalena, but he might use that as a weapon if the situation pushes him to.

While having a conversation on ‘The Coach And The Casual’ podcast earlier this month, Belal Muhammad emphasized, “I’m not going to shoot one takedown, and I’m going to show him the meaning of Canelo hands. I’m going to show the UFC fighters, the fans, that I’m the best boxer in the UFC, the best boxer in the welterweight division.”

Having trained alongside Khabib Nurmagomedov, Belal Muhammad’s wrestling was a work of art when he fought against Edwards, and he knows it. The champion is well aware of his grappling advantage over the Aussie. “I think I can take him down, but for me, I don’t like to underestimate guys. He’s had fights where guys took him down, but he keeps going. Even that last fight with Gilbert Burns, I thought he was losing up until that last 30 seconds, so it tells me he has heart. He’s never going to quit or give up on himself even if he gets taken down.”

Looking at these factors, the MMA community is worried about the looming fate of Jack Della Maddalena.

Training with Craig Jones might not save Jack Della Maddalena, as per the fans

Belal Muhammad has expressed his desire to test his striking against the Aussie without resorting to takedowns. But will he follow through, or is it just a gimmick? That’s the question. Regardless, one fan believes Muhammad will knock out his opponent, “Yeah Belal might knock him out lol.” But here’s the thing: 75% of Muhammad’s fights have ended in a decision win.

Craig Jones is one of the best grappling athletes in the world; However, even he has his weaknesses. Sean Brady exposed the grappler when they clashed at Fury Pro Grappling 3 on December 30, 2021. Brady won the bout by decision, cementing his status as a top fighter. Interestingly, Muhammad has a TKO win against Brady (UFC 280). Hence, a fan connected the dots, “Sean Brady beat Craig Jones in BJJ match, and Belal KOd Brady. Just saying…”

Furthermore, another social media user emphasized that Belal Muhammad might actually navigate his way to victory at UFC 315: “I don’t know, man. Belal got the pressure boxing. And JDM was losing to Burns until he landed a good shot.” Belal Muhammad uses his amazing wrestling to get past his opponent, as we have witnessed in his last few fights. A fan believes that if ‘JDM’ fails to stay on his feet, then it is game over for him. “Ofc he’ll practice for keeping it on the feet. But if it goes to this position no amount of training would help him against belal.” Another social media user stated, “Hopefully he can help stop the Belal slam.”

Last but not least, a fan added, “Jones is known for his amazing submission skills and he has a fight finishing instinct. I guess JDM should work with someone else too (after training with Jones) if his training is for Belal, since Belal has none of the above.”

With just a month remaining for the ultimate fight, what are your expectations from the clash? Will Jack Della Maddalena defeat Belal Muhammad, or will it be another successful night for ‘Remember The Name.’ State your thoughts in the comments below.