Malott Headlines UFC Edmonton Against Buckley

Mike Malott will headline his second straight UFC card in Canada when he faces Joaquin Buckley at UFC Edmonton on Oct. 17 at Rogers Place.

The UFC announced the welterweight main event Tuesday, per MMA Fighting, matching the surging Canadian against a two-time loser desperate to salvage his title trajectory. Buckley sits No. 10 in the division after dropping back-to-back decisions to Kamaru Usman last summer and Sean Brady in May. Malott, ranked No. 12, has won four straight since Neil Magny stopped him at UFC 297, capped by an April finish of former title challenger Gilbert Burns at UFC Winnipeg.

Buckley Needs Win To Revive Title Push

Buckley rattled off six consecutive wins after returning to 170 pounds in 2023, beating Colby Covington, Stephen Thompson, and Nursulton Ruziboev on a run that positioned him for a championship eliminator. The Usman and Brady setbacks stalled that momentum. Malott, a Dana White's Contender Series graduate, has emerged as a candidate to carry the torch left by Georges St-Pierre, who retired after UFC 217. A victory over Buckley could land the Canadian in a title eliminator of his own.

The co-main event features flyweights Erin Blanchfield and Jasmine Jasudavicius, as reported by Sportsnet, the UFC's Canadian broadcast partner. The bout was originally scheduled for UFC 330 before a minor injury to Blanchfield forced a postponement. Full card details are expected in the coming weeks.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — Joaquin Buckley meets Mike Malott in UFC Edmonton main event
• BJPenn — Mike Malott headlines UFC Edmonton card vs. welterweight KO artist