UFC 315: West Australian star Jack Della Maddalena looks to make history, to fight for welterweight title

West Australian fighter Jack Della Maddalena is aiming to make history when he ends a more than 12-month absence from the octagon and fights for the UFC welterweight title.

Della Maddalena (17-2) has been catapulted into the main event of UFC 315 where he will face champion Belal Muhammad (24-3) for the championship in Montreal, Canada on May 11.

Undefeated from seven bouts in the UFC, Della Maddalena was set to fight former champion Leon Edwards next month in what was a No.1 contender contest, but a lingering injury to Shavkat Rakhmonov changed the plans.

The 28-year-old will now look to become the first West Australian to earn UFC gold after Steve Erceg fell heartbreakingly short of winning the flyweight title against Alexandre Pantoja last year.

“It’s going to feel really nice to bring the belt home to the gym,” Della Maddalena said after the fight was announced on Thursday.

“It’s always been a dream of mine. Steve had the opportunity but came up just short on the line. I am trying to learn from his mistakes.

“I am excited to bring the belt home.”

It will be Della Maddalena’s first fight since March of last year when he broke his arm in a third-round knockout win over Gilbert Burns.

Subsequent infections haltered his rising career, but Della Maddalena said the extra few weeks he would not get to prepare would ensure he is at full strength.

“The arm’s feeling good, I am back at full training and I can take solid, full contact on it,” he said.

“I can get kicked in the arm, punch at 100 per cent.

“I was pretty confident going into the Leon fight but now just an extra six weeks I am fully confident.”

Muhammad is known as a technical wrester and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighter who has not lost in six years and is coming off a one-sided victory over Edwards to win the title in July.

But Della Maddalena isn’t nervous about the prospect of taking the fight to the ground or keeping it standing.

“I’m not going to be worried about hitting the deck. To really try to hurt him I’m going to have to put myself into positions where he will be able to shoot a takedown,” he said.

“It will be about a lot of footwork, trying not to rush anything. Just taking my time.

“And then when he does engage in the grappling be aggressive, try to attack … then get back to the feet but I think footwork is the key to victory.”