The UFC is returning to Montreal after a 10-year absence on May 10. It’s been a long time coming for Canadian UFC fans, as Dana White’s promotion has treated them to two title fights. After the great shot at UFC 314 in Miami, the next big-time MMA event features one of the most anticipated fight nights, including two titles on the line.
If you’re into UFC betting, you know that the welterweight bout between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena will be a blast. Valentina Shevchenko will lock horns with challenger Manon Fiorot in another exciting fight, with veterans Jose Aldo and Gilbert Burns in action as well. Scroll down and read our earliest predictions for the May 10 event, which can’t come soon enough.
UFC 315 Events
It’s safe to say that the UFC 315 event is stacked with great fights. The main and co-main events including a title fight between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena, while Valentina Shevchenko puts her belt on the line against rising star Manon Fiorot. Other notable fights include:
Jose Aldo vs. Aiemann Zahabi
Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales
Alexa Grasso vs. Natalia Silva
Brad Katon vs. Bekzat Almakhan
Marc-André Barriault vs Bruno Silva
Navajo Stirling vs Ivan Erslan
Jéssica Andrade vs Jasmine Jasudavicius
Modestas Bukauskas vs Ion Cuțelaba
Mike Malott vs Charles Radtke
As you can see, the card is pretty stacked and led by two mouth-watering title fights. With FIRST.com’s UFC tips, bettors can get an expert opinion on the matter. Regardless of whether you’re planning to bet on the mains or any of the other events on the card, there are plenty of reasons to plan a wager on UFC 315.
Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena
Belal Muhammad is the current welterweight champion, having won the belt from Leon Edwards last year at UFC 304. Despite this, he’s never been a fan-favorite. To put it simply, Muhammad’s style is not very attractive to fans. Regardless, he’s a fierce fighter if a bit too conservative. Defeating Leon Edwards is no joke, especially after Belal’s slow start to his UFC career, which saw him lose a few fights.
Muhammad’s biggest advantage is the pressure he puts on his opponents and his grappling ability. He likes to get the air out of hits opponents early, after which they never recover. That was the case with Leon Edwards, who took the loss badly and never recovered later. Belal Muhammad will likely take the same cautious approach against Jack Della Maddalena, a fighter who fans love.
After winning a Dana White Contender series event in late 2021, Della Maddalena was instantly signed to the UFC. He’s been nothing but impressive so far, with many considering him the best UFC prospect out of New Zealand. Big and strong, Della Maddalena’s resume so far includes 7 UFC fights, with 4 performance of the night honors. He’s beaten Randy Brown, Kevil Holland, and Gilbert Burns most recently, ascending through the ranks fast and booking a title shot against Muhammad.
In the UFC 315 title fight, Della Maddalena enters as a heavy underdog. His fighting style fits right into Belal Muhammad’s strategy. He hits hard which opens up opportunities for his opponents, and that might be too much to handle against a more experienced fighter in Muhammad. At the same time, Della Maddalena is physically stronger and much younger than Muhammad, which might give him some chances.
Betting on Della Maddalena to strip the belt of Muhammad promises a fat paycheck. But, overall, our prediction for the UFC 315 event is Muhammad over Della Maddalena, simply because of the champ’s good strategies so far and his experience.
Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot
The Kyrgyz fighting superstar is aiming for an impressive 7th title defense when she enters the Octagon on May 10 against Manon Fiorot. Now aged 37, she shows no signs of slowing down. It’s rare to see a fighter as determined as Shevchenko. After losing her belt against Alexa Grasso in early 2023, she didn’t back down and earned a draw in the rematch. A third fight was set up at UFC 306, seeing Shevchenko, earning her belt back with an anonymous decision.
On the opposite side in the Octagon is Manon Fiorot. The 35-year-old French fighter is riding a 7-win streak and has everything a future UFC champion needs. She has talent and strength, and being just 2 years younger than Shevchenko means she has experience on her side as well. However, there’s no way to compare her resume to that of Shevchenko, which is why Fiorot is entering the fight as an underdog.
The expert opinion on the co-main event is that Fiorot will fall to Shevchenko. It will be the 8th time the great fighter defends her belt, albeit not in a consecutive run.
Other UFC 315 Predictions
There’s plenty of other action to bet on at the upcoming event if you don’t like leaning on the heavy favorites or underdogs in the main and co-main events. The legendary Jose Aldo returns to the Octagon in a fight against Montreal’s Zahabi. Based on his resume and long tenure in the UFC, Aldo enters the fight as a heavy favorite to stick the landing.
Alexa Grasso will fight Natalia Silva in her return after the trilogy with Shevchenko. Silva is a rising star in the UFC, having last won against Jessica Andrade at a UFC Fight Night event. She enters the event as a favorite over Grasso, whose last two fights have ended in a draw and a loss. Silva is eager to prove her mettle by defeating the former champ. However, if you believe Grasso to have the upper hand, she has pretty solid odds against the Brazilian prospect.
Regardless of who you’re a fan of, there’s plenty of great action to bet on at UFC 315. The main and co-main events will generate plenty of attention from MMA fans, which sees a welcome return to the Great White North and will be a feast to Montreal fans.
