The wait is almost over for tonight’s UFC Fight Night in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada! Two top-15 Welterweight contenders, No. 10 Joaquin Buckley and No. 13 Mike Malott, are facing off in the Main Event of this card. Tonight’s Main Card begins at 8:00 p.m. ET, airing on Paramount+.
Check out my best bet for Joaquin Buckley vs. Mike Malott at tonight’s UFC Fight Night below.
Mike Malott Moneyline (-135)
From May 2023 to December 2024, Buckley went on a phenomenal run, winning six consecutive fights, including wins over well-known veterans Stephen Thompson and Colby Covington. But now Buckley is on a two-fight losing streak and needs a win to stay in the top-10 of the Welterweight division. Buckley most recently lost to Sean Brady and Kamaru Usman, and last got in the win column in December 2024 against Covington.
Malott, representing Niagara Top Team as an Ontario, Canada native, enters this fight on a four-fight winning streak. Since 2015, Malott is 10-1-1 in his last 12 contests. Malott picked up the biggest win of his career in April, scoring a third-round knockout over former title challenger Gilbert Burns.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Malott is the favorite at -135, with Buckley being a +114 underdog. The bout has an over/under of 3.5 rounds, with both at -115. Buckley is +225 to win by KO/TKO/DQ while Malott is +330 by knockout and +250 by decision. Malott stands three inches taller (6’1″ vs. 5’10”) while Buckley possesses a three-inch reach advantage (76″ vs. 73″).
Although Buckley has more big-fight experience, Malott has the tools to beat him as the more versatile fighter. Malott averages more significant strikes per minute (4.02 vs. 3.62) while being 12 percent more accurate. Although neither fighter goes to the ground often, Malott still has the edge there, landing 0.20 more takedowns per 15 minutes.
Buckley has struggled recently, staying too passive and putting up low output. Malott must respect Buckley’s power and avoid being overly aggressive. If Malott comes in confident and lands strikes at a high rate, he should be able to either out-strike Buckley for five rounds or score a TKO.
