Mike Malott

Mike Malott is a 34-year-old Canadian welterweight who has emerged as one of the UFC's most exciting finishers and is now knocking on the door of the division's upper tier. Born in Waterdown, Ontario, Malott started his MMA journey at age 17 under Kru Alin Halmagean at House of Champions in Stoney Creek, where he combined striking and grappling fundamentals. His early career featured notable setbacks—a loss to Hakeem Dawodu in 2014 and a majority draw in 2015—but rather than push through adversity, Malott made a calculated decision in 2017 to step away from MMA entirely. For three years, he focused on wrestling, judo, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, ultimately earning his black belt while cornering elite strikers like Urijah Faber and Cody Garbrandt at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California.

Malott returned to professional MMA in December 2020 and quickly impressed on Dana White's Contender Series in October 2021, submitting Shimon Smotritsky with a guillotine choke and earning his UFC contract. Since his UFC debut in April 2022, he has compiled a stellar 7-1 record, punctuated by three Performance of the Night bonuses. His only loss came to Neil Magny in January 2024 at UFC 297, when he was stopped by ground-and-pound in the third round despite controlling much of the fight. Malott has proven lethal in both submission (arm triangles, guillotines, rear-naked chokes) and knockout power, with wins over notable names including Yohan Lainesse, Adam Fugitt, Trevin Giles, and Kevin Holland.

In April 2026, Malott earned the signature victory of his career when he defeated former welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns via third-round TKO in his first UFC main event at UFC Fight Night 273 in Winnipeg. The win earned him a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus and cemented his status as a rising welterweight prospect on the cusp of title contention. At 6'1" with a 73-inch reach, Malott uses his size and grappling acumen to control opponents before finishing with submission or striking. His combination of submission mastery, knockout power, and willingness to engage makes him a perennial bonus candidate and a fan favorite in a division increasingly populated by wrestlers and grapplers.