UFC 315 mayhem: Dana White forced to intervene as face-off between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena nearly turns violent

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: May 9, 2025, 19:12 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Tensions flared between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena at the UFC 315 press conference, with Dana White intervening to prevent a physical altercation. Muhammad's reaction to Maddalena's gesture ignited the face-off. The welterweight title bout in Montreal on May 10 holds significant implications.

UFC 315 mayhem: Dana White forced to intervene as face-off between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena nearly turns violent

Image via Getty

The recent intense man-to-man staredown between welterweight champion Belal Muhammad and contender Jack Della Maddalena has raised the stakes further with the main event around the corner. While being present for a press conference staredown ahead of their headlining bout at UFC 315 on Saturday, things escalated quickly when Maddalena’s extended fist triggered the reigning champion.

Operation Sindoor

Before things could have gotten out of hand, the UFC president, Dana White, and security intervened and resolved the face-to-face tiff to save it from becoming an explosive confrontation.

Fists almost flew as UFC 315 fighters Belal Muhammad and JDM’s face-off becomes heated

As a usual practice to address the fans and media ahead of any major UFC event, White indulges in the Q&A surrounding the sport. On Thursday, the UFC president mainly spilled the beans on Ilia Topuria’s next powerful bout as he eyes Islam Makhachev as a potential rival. After conversing with the media and fans, White had to go through an unforeseen and not ideal moment when Muhammad and Maddalena came face-to-face.

Despite the two contenders being cordial about their upcoming bout, the sudden dismissal by Muhammad of his opponent’s wide-stretched fist in front of his face caused White to take a quick measure to calm it down. By intervening between the two stars, White looked rather uncomfortable but succeeded in keeping the fighters apart. The showdown between Muhammad and Maddalena, live from Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada, on May 10, is set to be a huge turning point in the welterweight division, considering who bags the victory.

What is on the line for Belal Muhammad if he loses?

If Muhammad loses the fight against ‘JDM,’ it will push Makhachev to 170 lbs and enter another weight division to become a two-weight UFC champion. If ‘Remember The Name’ succeeds in retaining his title, he will be on the lookout to face a new contender, and his lightweight training partner, Makhachev, can rest easy as of now from entering a new weight division. With fans rooting for their favorites, it is certainly going to be an epic night full of MMA action. The sudden, intense moment between the fighters has indeed piqued the eagerness of the fans to witness the night.Also Read: Belal Muhammad gets the heat as the welterweight champion is mocked amid UFC 315 sellout struggle

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

End of Article