"Spit at me or something" - Belal Muhammad jokingly requests Jack Della Maddalena to get "racist" before UFC 315 to sell unexpected title fight

Belal Muhammad is set to defend his welterweight title against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 in Montreal on May 10. Originally scheduled to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov, Muhammad had to adjust to a new challenger after Rakhmonov suffered an injury.

Discussing the unexpected change in an interview with MMA Junkie, Muhammad admitted he had been preparing for Rakhmonov but remains confident in his ability to adapt:

"I thought it was going to be be Shavkat. We were training for it, that's like the hard part. Because I had a camp for him and I was going six weeks and then I got hurt... [Later] they called and they said... like, 'It's not going to be Shavkat,' then we were like, 'Well...'" [0:36]

With the new opponent set, the responsibility to promote their card also falls on the shoulders of the headliner fighters.

To generate excitement for the unexpected matchup, he playfully suggested that Della Maddalena add some controversy to the buildup:

"Let's get a little bit racist or something in here. Bro, you know spit at me or something. But I think when you're looking at the level of the fight, right, I think it's the highest level fight you're going to put in this, our division. We're both two guys that don't break and I think whoever orders the pay-per-view they're going to be in for a treat." [2:33]

Check out Belal Muhammad's comments below:

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Sean Brady backs Belal Muhammad for first title defense against Jack Della Maddalena

Sean Brady believes Belal Muhammad should not be underestimated in his title defense against Jack Della Maddalena.

Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Brady praised Muhammad’s consistency, stating that he has repeatedly silenced critics and deserves more respect.

Brady pointed out that Muhammad has beaten top contenders, whereas Della Maddalena has struggled in key moments. He referenced the Australian's close fight with Gilbert Burns, suggesting Muhammad’s experience gives him the edge:

"Man, you can't bet against Belal [Muhammad]. He's gone out there and proved that he can beat anybody in the world and he has. So, you have to admire that and you have to respect that. And yeah, I'm going to favor [Muhammad], especially if you go look at how the [Della Maddalena] fight was going with Gilbert [Burns] until that last minute. So, I think Belal has a good chance for sure."

Check out Sean Brady's comments on Belal Muhammad below:

With Muhammad set for his first title defense, Brady remains confident he will prove his doubters wrong once again.