Robert Whittaker expected more Takedowns from Belal Muhammad on UFC 315.
After he reached his last 10 opponents with his wrestling and pressure, the UFC champion Welterweight finally met his game during the weekend when he took the Australian Jack della Maddalena.
It was not the Belal Muhammad that we were used to seeing, because the champion mainly fought against Della Maddalena in the stand-up, Maddalena considerably less removed than in the past opponents Stephen Thompson and Leon Edwards, who are on-standing top strikers.
In five rounds, Muhammad tried 9 Takedowns, so Della Maddalena lay only 3 for 3. In a nice back and forth fight at the feet, Mohammed would lose his title by unanimous decision.
Trust in his 'Canelo hands', some suggest that Mohammed's title loss was a by -product of his ego. Finally, Muhammad claimed before the fight he didn't have to shoot for a single Takedown on Della Maddalena.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Robert Whittaker calls Belal Muhammad 'ridiculous' because he tries to prove that he was better noticeable than Jack della Maddalena
In comparison with Ronda Rousey in his title loss, the Muhammad game plan caught some anti -aircraft guns of the first UFC champion Robert Whittaker from Australia.
“I expected more Takedowns,” said the former middleweight champion of Mohammed on the Mmarcade podcast.
“When he grabbed the striking one to bring Jack on it, to mix in his shots, they were clean every time.
“Why didn't we see that anymore?” Whittaker said about the removal of Muhammad.
“I can't help it, but the feeling that Belal was trying to make a point with Jack for the first three rounds. If that's the case, that's ridiculous.”
Whittaker continued and praised his colleagues Australian JDM.
“Jack is great at that boxing in the middle range. One of mine [keys to] The victory for Jack was to embrace the dog fight and let it be to pay for every step he moved ahead and every time he walked away, what Jack did incredible. '
Robert Whittaker says that Belal Muhammad has left the style that he won UFC title
Depending on his opponent, Muhammad changed his wrestling strategy a few times during his 11-Fight Run to the title.
Muhammad, confronted with Demian Maia, maintained the fight to deny Maia's threat. In a title Eliminator with Gilbert Burns, Mohammed Burns completely closed the striking without removal attempts.
Muhammad perhaps set up the best performance of his career against Leon Edwards by seamlessly struggling and hitting.
Whittaker says that this version of Mohammed was nowhere to be found on UFC 315.
“What brought to the title and made him champion was the fact that he could hit,” explained Whittaker.
“He could beat, beat, shoot, punch, punch, punch …
“He is not Gilbert Burns on the floor. He is not a man who when you get when he gets you on your back, he will work on those difficult entries, and you are in a very dangerous place.
“He is exactly that 'game'. He is that punch, punch, shoot, punch, punch, shoot [style] And we didn't see that, “said the former champion of Mohammed's performance to Jack della Maddalena.