Belal Muhammad Defends UFC Welterweight Title, Jose Aldo Retires at UFC 315 in Montreal

At UFC 315, a significant welterweight title change occurred when Jack Della Maddalena defeated defending champion Belal Muhammad in a five-round battle, ending Muhammad's reign and paving the way for Islam Makhachev to potentially move up a weight class for a champion vs. champion fight, though fans expressed disappointment over the loss of a highly anticipated matchup between Makhachev and Ilia Topuria. In the same event, legendary former featherweight champion Jose Aldo announced his retirement after losing a closely contested fight to Aiemann Zahabi; the bout was moved from bantamweight to featherweight at the last minute due to Aldo's inability to make the bantamweight limit, which also raised questions about his future weight class decisions. Zahabi noted that the Montreal athletic commission's strict weight difference rules necessitated the bout's adjustment, and Aldo appeared visibly depleted during weigh-ins. The event also highlighted UFC president Dana White's plans involving Makhachev and Topuria's next fights, underscoring a period of transition within multiple UFC divisions.