UFC 315 returns to Montreal Saturday night for 1st time in 10 years

The wait for fight fans is finally almost over.

The UFC is making is long-awaited return to Montreal for UFC 315 Saturday, with two championship belts on the line.

Welterweight champion Belal (Remember The Name) Muhammad takes on top contender Jack Della Maddalena, and flyweight champion Valentina (Bullet) Shevchenko returns against Manon (The Beast) Fiorot at the Bell Centre.

“I’m gonna go in there, I’m gonna show that I’m the best boxer in the welterweight division, I’m the best fighter in the welterweight division and I’m gonna show my dominance again,” Muhammad said.

Some of the UFC’s top stars spoke during media day, previewing what’s to come for Montreal after a decade-long wait.

“It’s cool that I’m the main Montrealer on the card,” said Aiemann Zahabi, the No. 14-ranked bantamweight contender. “I’m the last Canadian to fight, I got big role in this historical moment and I really want to stamp it with a win.”

Zahabi says fans can expect a battle ahead of his fight against Brazil’s José Aldo.

“One thing that I found weird during this training camp, because Aldo’s such a global superstar, that people in Montreal when they knew I was fighting Aldo they would go to me hey listen we’re rooting for you but don’t hurt him too much,” he said. “[Like] what do you mean don’t hurt him too much, the guys coming to rip my head off.”

In the main event, Muhammad (24-3-0 with one no contest) takes on No. 5-ranked Della Maddalena (17-2-0) in the 170-pound division in the main event.

“I think this is the high-level match, especially my match, it’s the champion versus a solid contender, and I expect a tough fight,” said Della Maddalena.

“I think he’s got heart,” said Muhammad of his opponent. “He doesn’t give up. He showed his last fight really, with a broken arm, he’s still pushed through. But the difference is he’s never fought anybody like me.”

Muhammad hasn’t lost a fight since 2019, saying it is a dream come true to start his title run in the home of his favourite fighter: Montreal’s own Georges St-Pierre.

“To win in Montreal in front of GSP right, the go-to in the welterweight division, he’s on everybody’s Mount Rushmore, a guy that I looked up to, I always watched when I was younger, that you always try to be like, mimic,” Muhammad said.

“You have to have a goal when you’re a fighter, right. My first goal was the gold, now my next goal is the goat, so I’m chasing him,” he said. “To be chasing him and starting here at Montreal and in front of them is gonna be great.”

The fight card features six Canadian contenders, with opponents from all over the world from France, Kazakhstan and Brazil.

Montrealers can attend the UFC’s press conference and weigh-in show for free at the Bell Centre on Thursday and Friday at 5 p.m.

“It’s a pleasure to fight here, especially with the welterweight division, obviously the man GSP is from here, so it’s a bit of history in the division,” Della Maddalena said. “But yeah. I’m excited to kick off my title run in Montreal.”

The main card is live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. The prelims will be available on Sportsnet at 8 p.m.

“I’m fighting the best boxer in the UFC, I’m fighting the best wrestler, I’m fighting the best grappler, so I gotta train like I’m fighting all those guys, I gotta train like I’m fighting Robocop,” said Muhammad. “That’s my mentality every single fight.”