Significant Stats | UFC 315: Muhammad vs Della Maddalena

Key Stats: 43 takedowns landed (tied 8th all-time among WW), 1,965 total strikes landed (6th all-time among WW), 47:46 top position time (3rd)

What It Means: “Remember the Name” is an exhaustive, gritty fighter whose skills and Fight IQ have become overshadowed in a way. Muhammad is durable with great cardio, and he takes those tools and combines them with his excellent chain wrestling to swarm his opponents and negate their offense with great effect. On the feet, however, he does have smooth and effective boxing. His ability to combine his martial arts makes him a difficult fighter to get the upper hand on early, and he is great at preventing his opponents from garnering much momentum from round to round.

Jack Della Maddalena

Key Stats: 1.64 knockdowns averaged per 15 minutes (4th all-time among WW), 6.62 strikes landed per minute (3rd all-time among WW), 70% takedown defense 

What It Means: Jack Della Maddalena has a very fluid striking style. He likes to poke and prod from range with jabs and body kicks, but once he engages in a real way, he strings together long combinations. His boxing is particularly slick, and he mixes his shots to the body often. His defensive grappling is solid, and he appears flexible and dexterous with his limbs when scrambling.

MORE JDM: Five Jack Della Maddalena Fights To Watch

What to Look For in the Fight: All signs point toward a striker-vs-grappler matchup. Although the champion’s confidence in his striking is evident and earned, Muhammad’s best bet for victory is to mix his game together frequently and keep Della Maddalena on the back foot. Even if Della Maddalena picks up a rhythm, his long combinations will provide Muhammad with the chance to slip a shot and get to the Australian’s hips. Kicks will be important for Della Maddalena’s offense. If he can mix those strikes in and stuff the takedowns that inevitably come off those attacks, he could have success controlling the distance and thus the exchanges on the feet. 

Co-Main Event: Valentina Shevchenko vs Manon Fiorot

Valentina Shevchenko

Key Stats: 4 KO/TKO wins (1st all-time among WFLW), 33.3% top position percentage (tied 3rdall-time among WFLW), 1.75 strikes absorbed per minute (1st all-time among WFLW)

What It Means: Few fighters are as complete as Shevchenko. Her striking is crisp, especially when she is able to establish her counterstriking game. She is elite at slipping and coming back at her opponent with a long combination, and when she is comfortable on the feet, she often ends those combinations with kicks to the body or head. “Bullet” also likes to counter with spinning attacks when her opponent enters. If she wants, she can also bring the fight to the mat quite effectively, and her physical strength really shines as she goes for hip tosses and trips. When on top, she is patient and diligent about improving her position and maintaining control. 

Manon Fiorot

Key Stats: 0.21 bottom position percentage (2nd all-time among WFLW), 6.26 strikes landed per minute (5th all-time among WFLW), +2.49 striking differential (2nd all-time among WFLW)

What It Means: “The Beast” is an imposing athlete with good technique and ability across the board. Her best tools come in the standup realm, where she is very disciplined when it comes to her gameplan. She likes to end her combinations with kicks to the body, and when pressing the action, she varies her attacks much more than when she is backing up and countering. Fiorot’s physicality shows itself in grappling exchanges, where she is able to utilize her physical strength to fend off takedowns or improve positions in the clinch.

RELATED: Manon Fiorot Fight Week Interview

What to Look For in the Fight: Shevchenko’s strength is that she can adapt and adjust to bring the fight anywhere she feels is her best path to victory. In this matchup, that is likely in the grappling department, but Shevchenko also feels like her striking can best anyone in the division. On the feet, Shevchenko is a bit cleaner and might have the speed advantage, but how she deals with Fiorot’s size and strength is key. Shevchenko should have plenty of opportunities to counter,although both women will have an adjustment to make facing a fellow southpaw. Fiorot, despite Shevchenko’s keen countering skills, will be best served staying on the front foot while beingmindful about any attempts to bring the fight to the ground. 

Other Fights to Watch (Alexa Grasso vs Natalia Silva, Jéssica Andrade vs Jasmine Jasudavicius) 

Alexa Grasso

Key Stats: 1,058 total strikes landed (5th all-time among WFLW), 6 submission attempts (tied 3rdall-time among WFLW), 40% takedown accuracy

What It Means: The former flyweight champion is a well-rounded fighter whose best work comes with her hands. Grasso’s boxing is particularly effective. She keeps a tight guard and carries real power when throwing in the pocket. She is also confident in her grappling and goes for submissions with real aggression off her back and on top.  

Natalia Silva

Key Stats: +2.84 striking differential (1st all-time among WFLW), 91.7% takedown defense (1stall-time among WFLW), 2.35 strikes absorbed per minute (4th all-time among WFLW)

What It Means: Silva is one of the slicker strikers in the women’s flyweight division. She is dynamic, varied and light on her feet, throwing spinning kicks with little telegraphing and finding heavy combinations, as well. Her defensive grappling has held up thus far, and that, plus her ability to manage distance, make her a difficult puzzle for opponents to solve. 

RELATED: Alexa Grasso Fight Week Interview

What to Look For in the Fight: Between the two, Silva has the deeper bag of tricks when it comes to striking, but Grasso is able to march forward and apply pressure, which should come in handy in terms of limiting Silva’s kicking game. Grasso does probably have the grappling advantage, as well, so she could slow the Brazilian down mixing in some clinches and takedowns. Silva could find success kicking Grasso’s legs and body when she implements her high guard.