VANCOUVER – Mike Malott has fantasized about fighting in the octagon on home soil in Canada. He gets his wish on Saturday at UFC 289.
Malott (9-1-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) will take on Adam Fugitt (9-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) in a welterweight bout on the pay-per-view main card following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+ from Rogers Arena. Both men have shown to be action fighters inside the cage.
It’s a big moment for Malott, who said he’s been thinking about fighting in his home country on this stage for years, but has never had a chance. The UFC hasn’t gone to “The Great White North” since September 2019, years before his promotional debut.
“This has been a dream of mine my entire fight career, since before I got into fighting professionally I’ve always wanted to fight in the UFC at home in Canada in front of wild Canadian fans,” Malott told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC 289 media day. “Everyone knows how the Canadian fans get at UFC fights. We’re loud, we’re passionate and we get behind our fighters. I’m really excited to put on a show for these guys.”
Malott, 31, promises to deliver for his people at UFC 289. He’s never reached the judges in a win to this point in his career, and he doesn’t expect to put them to work for the first time Saturday.
“I know I’m winning this fight by stoppage,” Malott said. “I’m getting my 10th win by stoppage on Saturday night, 100 percent. I’ll be 3-0 in the UFC with three stoppages.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 289.
