Gilbert Burns offers his unique insight into the highly anticipated main event at UFC 315.
Welterweight champion Belal Muhammad is set to defend his title against rising star Jack Della Maddalena at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Adding a fascinating layer to this matchup, both Muhammad and Della Maddalena have previously secured victories over the top contender, Gilbert Burns, during their ascent in the 170lb division.
This makes Burns perhaps the most qualified expert to predict how their upcoming clash will unfold.
Gilbert Burns Predicts UFC 315 Upset
Burns admits he initially found it challenging to make a definitive prediction for the fight between his former opponents.
While he first leaned towards Muhammad winning, `Durinho` now believes we might witness an upset at UFC 315.
“I know it’s going to be a close fight, but I was giving a little bit of an edge to Belal,” Burns told Inside Fighting.
“Jack is so underrated. Jack is so good. I remember doing that fight, it was very hard to find the distance in the striking. He’s good. He hits very hard, has good boxing combinations, good footwork. He fights exactly the same in both stances.”
Burns recounted his own fight with Della Maddalena:
“I broke his arm in the first round with a body kick and he kept fighting through the whole fight. I got his back, couldn’t do much. I took him down, couldn’t do much. I did a lot of good things but he had an answer for almost everything that I did.”
He also highlighted Della Maddalena`s recent training:
“I just saw a couple of videos of Jack Della Maddalena putting Craig Jones to sleep. He’s been grappling a lot with Craig Jones and training a lot with [Alex] Volkanovski. I just think that guy is very good, super underrated.”
Considering both fighters` strengths, Burns concluded:
“I think that fight is very, very close. I was a little more for Belal Muhammad, just because of the experience, training with Khabib [Nurmagomedov], having a lot of main events, and knowing how to win fights.”
“It’s kind of 50/50 this fight… I’m leaning a little bit towards Jack Della Maddalena in the end.”
What’s Next for Gilbert Burns?
Burns` last fight was a unanimous decision loss to Sean Brady in September 2024.
Currently on a three-fight losing skid, the 38-year-old is preparing for his return at UFC Vegas 106.
Burns is scheduled to face undefeated 17-0 prospect Michael Morales in the main event on May 17.
A victory in this fight could potentially push the former title challenger back into contention, but another loss would significantly jeopardize his aspirations of becoming a UFC champion. It would not be surprising if he considers retirement should he lose against Morales.
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