Della Maddalena wrests welterweight championship from Belal Muhammad

Jack Della Maddalena

Jack Della Maddalena beat Belal Muhammad via unanimous decision to wrest away the welterweight championship in the main event at UFC 315 on Saturday night.

Della Maddalena (18-2-0) extended his fight win streak to 18 in a row with a 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 decision.

The loss ended Muhammad’s 11-fight streak dating to January 2019.

“He brings the pressure, you know, I knew I had to be smart,” the Australian said.

In the co-main event, two-time UFC flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko (25-4-1) defended her belt against No. 2 ranked contender Manon Fiorot (12-2) of France.

All three judges scored it 48-47.

“I was expecting a hard fight, she’s a good fighter,” said the 37-year-old from Kyrgyzstan. “I’m going to keep going. Numbers is nothing. What is more important is how you feel physically, mentally, how you perform.”

Aiemann Zahabi shocked UFC Hall of Famer Jose Aldo in a featherweight main card fight, after which Aldo announced his retirement.

Zahabi (13-2) won by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) and the Canadian has now won six straight fights.

The fight was originally scheduled to be disputed at the bantamweight division, but was changed to featherweight on Friday after both fighters checked in above the weight limit.

Aldo (32-10), of Brazil, announced his retirement from MMA fighting after a 21-year career.

“I don’t think I have it in me anymore,” Aldo said through a translator.

Saturday’s card was the first in Canada since Donald Trump was re-elected U.S. president in November. It comes amid growing political tensions between Canada and the United States, as Trump has repeatedly suggested that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state, and some of that tension spilled over.

Canadian Mike Malott (12-2-1) won his fight with American Charles Radtke (10-5) by knockout 26 seconds into the second round of their welterweight bout. Malott took down Radtke with a clean left hook and would not let up, striking his opponent with repeated followup blows to seal the knockout.

Radtke was met with jeers and curses from fans throughout the fight in response to comments he made to Canadian fans at a pre-fight news conference on Wednesday and the booing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Canadian sporting events in recent months.

Radtke said “when you all boo the national anthem, somebody’s gonna have to pay for that.”

In the women’s flyweight division, Canadian Jasmine Jasudavicius (14-3) took down Brazilian Jessia Andrade (26-14) by submission just over halfway through the first round.

“When I was preparing for this fight, I kept on thinking about it being a quick finish,” said Jasudavicius. “I kept on telling myself to be ready for 15 hard minutes and everything.”

Marc-Andre Barriault (17-9) also knocked out opponent Bruno Silva (23-13) 1:27 into the opening round of their middleweight bout with an elbow struck to the side of Silva’s head. Silva left the octagon on a stretcher.  MDT/AP