Edmonton — It’s been just over five years since Canadian welterweight Mike Malott won his way into the UFC via Dana White’s Contender Series, an anniversary that has not gone unnoticed for the fighter now seen as the face of Canadian MMA.
Alongside teammate Jasmine Jasudavicius, who is also competing this Saturday at UFC Edmonton, Malott is responsible for getting the UFC back to Canada, and is now the promotion’s go-to to headline cards north of the border.
“It’s crazy to look back at that, and think that was five years ago, man. It doesn’t feel like yesterday, but it definitely doesn’t feel like five years ago,” Malott (14-2-1) said on Wednesday, speaking with Cageside Press and other media outlets during the UFC Edmonton media day. “It’s cool to see how far I’ve come, going from Contender Series to main events. Getting to fight in Canada so many times and having such great big moments in the UFC. I’m so grateful for this; this is exactly what I’ve wanted to do since I was twelve years old.”
“Just keeping that in mind and keeping that gratitude in heart for this camp,” he added.
Malott’s progression in the cage has been noticable, and his attitude has long been consistent, perhaps because he’s spent the past 13 years working with a mental coach. Whatever the reason, he’s sounding confident ahead of the UFC Edmonton main event, where he takes on Joaquin Buckley.
“I feel so much more at home in the UFC, where it’s not quite as much ‘oh my god, this is the UFC.’ It doesn’t feel bigger than me anymore,” stated Malott. “I just feel a lot more like I’m myself in these fights, and fight week. I feel like I’m familiar with the process, I feel great, I feel calm, I feel focused, and dialed-in.””
And while Malott admits that every fighter says their training camp was the best during every Fight Week, sometimes meaning it, sometimes not, “this one I mean it, man. This was such a good training camp.”
Buckley has been relatively reserved ahead of the match-up, with the lack of trash talk noted by fans. In an interview earlier this week, he seemed to leave promotion up to Malott, being the fighter competing at home.
“I definitely have a name in Canada,” Malott said in response, noting how fortunate he is to be in a position to get big fights at home. “This is the second main event for me here in Canada. I’m fortunate to be fighting a big name, fortunate enough to be fighting another skilled, top 10 guy, but I’ve main evented in Canada before without him. And I can’t see him main eventing in Canada without me. So for me, I feel like, this is my show.”
Watch the full UFC Edmonton media day appearance by Mike Malott above.