Canadian lightweight Mandel Nallo makes his Octagon debut Saturday night in front of a hometown crowd, taking on fellow MMA veteran Jai Herbert at UFC Winnipeg.
Nallo (14–3, 1 NC, 0–0 UFC) punched a ticket to the big stage with a first-round knockout of Samuel Silva on Dana White’s Contender Series last September, preserving his 100% career finish rate. Herbert (13–6–1, 3–5–1 UFC) has struggled for consistency in the promotion and enters off a split-decision loss to Chris Padilla in March 2025.
Nallo enters as a -170 moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Herbert sits as a +142 underdog. The total is set at 2.5 rounds.
Nallo vs. Herbert Preview
Mandel Nallo
Vancouver’s own Mandel Nallo is finally set for his Octagon debut, and it’s only fitting that it takes place in the Great White North. The 36-year-old veteran, nicknamed “Rat Garbage,” inked a UFC contract after scoring a first-round knockout of Samuel Silva on Dana White’s Contender Series in September.
The former Bellator contender, who trains with No. 6-ranked UFC bantamweight Aiemann Zahabi, arrives in MMA’s flagship promotion on a five-fight winning streak — and with quite the highlight reel. An ingenious striker, Nallo boasts a 100% professional finish rate with eight knockouts, six submissions, and 12 first-round finishes, ranging from flying knees to superman punches.
Jai Herbert
The Octagon has not been kind to England’s Jai Herbert. The former Cage Warriors lightweight champ has gone just 3–5–1 in the UFC, with the highlight being a near-knockout of a budding Ilia Topuria in March 2022. He later got flattened by the champ’s signature right hand. Here, check out this incredibly cinematic edit:
While still a dangerous striker with nine career knockouts, “Black Country Banger” has struggled to build momentum, failing to string together consecutive UFC wins. Several of his losses have come inside the distance, and he enters Saturday’s bout after a year-long layoff. He’s still looking to rebound from that split-decision loss to Chris Padilla in March 2025. Now 37, the clock is ticking for Herbert to get his UFC career back on track.
Nallo vs. Herbert Pick, Best Bet
The hometown favorite has been set up for a favorable introduction to the UFC. Nallo’s long-awaited Octagon debut comes against a fellow veteran who has struggled to establish a foothold in the promotion, giving the Canadian a golden opportunity to open his UFC run on a strong note. Given his track record, expect the stoppage artist to get it done inside the distance.
