“His reversal of Gilbert Burns was insane. I’ve trained with him, and I straight-up steal moves from him. He’s that good at grappling,” Craig Jones said last year on the JRE, giving major props to Jack Della Maddalena after UFC 299. Known mostly for his crisp striking, the Aussie surprised a lot of people with his takedown defense and slick reversals in that fight. Now, as his grappling coach, Jones believes it might be time to hang up his career. But why?

Craig Jones has been part of the Aussie MMA scene for a while now. He’s been helping out Alexander Volkanovski’s camp since around 2021, so it kind of made sense he’d end up working with Della Maddalena too. Colby Thicknesse, who trains with the current featherweight champion, joked in an interview on A Quick Razz, “He popped my knee in fifteen seconds, the f–k wit. He’s like 90-something kilos, worst training partner ever. He does it in a safe-enough way where it’s not actually over into a bad training partner.”

Since his recent online beef with current champ Belal Muhammad, Jones has joined the UFC 315 title challenger’s camp as a grappling coach. And honestly, it looks like the move’s already paying off. In a recent Instagram post shared by both Jones and The Mac Life, fans got a wild glimpse of the Aussie tossing the IBJJF champ to the mat with a slick judo throw, then locking in a textbook D’Arce choke to finish him. Jones, never short on humor, dropped comments like “Time to retire” and “I wish this was a joke. I’m the joke,” nodding to JDM’s ever-growing submission game.

Everyone knows Maddalena is a killer with his hands, that’s been clear since day one, considering he’s been boxing since he was 13. But what’s turning heads now is how much his ground game has leveled up. His recent progress in jiu-jitsu isn’t just random; it lines up perfectly with him earning his black belt last year, awarded by Ben Vickers, head coach at Scrappy MMA and Fitness. So yeah, seeing him hold his own and even dominate moments with someone like Craig Jones shouldn’t shock anyone.

That also explains how smooth Jack Della Maddalena looked transitioning on the ground against Gilbert Burns; those slick moves definitely turned heads and won over fans who already knew him as a striker. But he’s not the only one leveling up. Belal Muhammad, the current champ, is sharpening his striking. He’s made it clear: he wants to prove he can outstrike anyone in the division. In fact, he’s been vocal about chasing his own Max Holloway vs. Calvin Kattar type performance.

Belal Muhammad wants to have that Max Holloway moment using his striking

It’s not just Jack Della Maddalena leveling up; Belal Muhammad is sharpening his tools, too, and he’s got his sights set on showing off what he calls his new and improved ‘Canelo Hands.’ ‘Remember The Name’ has already proved he can hang with some of the division’s best strikers, going toe-to-toe with the likes of Leon Edwards, Gilbert Burns, and Sean Brady. Now, he’s confident that his stand-up game is better than ever. Also, he’s aiming for a statement performance—something along the lines of Max Holloway vs. Calvin Kattar (the night ‘Blessed’ landed a record 445 significant strikes on Cattar’s unfortunate face and head).

He told Grand City Media, “I just came from beating who’s considered the best kickboxer in the division, Leon Edwards, and I outstruck him. For me, it’s now putting these Canelo hands to the test, right? I have been working on my hands so much, getting better. So much I keep talking about them. So, now it’s like I’m gonna prove myself against these guys. I’m gonna have on of those moments like Max Holloway against Calvin Kattar!”

Belal has made strides in his striking, no doubt about that, but whether he can deliver a Max Holloway-level domination is still a big question waiting to be answered. That’s what makes the UFC 315 main event so intriguing. You’ve got two elite fighters, both known for specific strengths, now stepping in to prove they’re complete, well-rounded mixed martial artists. It’s not just about wrestling or striking anymore, it’s about who can blend it all better on fight night. That storyline alone adds a whole new layer of excitement to the matchup.

So, with all that in mind, who do you think has the edge? Will Jack Della Maddalena shock the world with a slick submission and choke out the champ? Or will Belal Muhammad silence the doubters and retain his title with a knockout of his own? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!