*Joaquin Buckley lands a crushing right hand on Stephen Thompson. Credit: MMA Mania.*

The UFC heads to Rogers Place in Edmonton, Canada, for an outstanding Fight Night card. From start to finish, there’s plenty of excellent matchups, top-level fighters, and local talent looking to put on a show for the fans of their home country. In the co-main event, two top-ten women’s Flyweights will face off when Erin Blanchfield takes on Jasmine Jasudavicius. In the main event, dangerous Welterweight knockout artist Joaquin Buckley goes toe-to-toe with potent scrapper Mike Malott. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Mandel Nallo vs. Nate Landwehr

*Mandel Nallo blasts Samuel Silva with a front kick to the face. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Lightweight Bout

Mandel Nallo: 14-4-0, 8 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Nate Landwehr: 18-8-0, 9 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Nallo has won four of his last five fights and is seeking his first UFC win. He’s a powerful, precise kickboxer with an excellent submission game. He has serious power in both hands and is highly accurate, always picking his shots and throwing everything with purpose. Nallo fights behind his jab and throws everything with impressive speed, remaining unpredictable and never telegraphing his shots. Training at TriStar Gym, he has powerful kicks and will batter his opponents with heavy leg kicks from the opening bell. He’s an excellent grappler with a great backtake and excellent chokes, and he can secure them very quickly. Nallo has finished all of his last five wins in the first round and always pushes a heavy pace.

*Nate Landwehr stuns David Onama with a left hook. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Landwehr has won one of his last five bouts and holds UFC victories over David Onama (14-3-0), Ludovit Klein (24-6-1), and Darren Elkins (29-13-0). He’s a true scrapper who always comes forward and engages wherever the fight goes. He’s always willing to eat a shot to land one, regularly walking through punches to close the distance. Landwehr fights behind his jab, constantly looking for opportunities to crash into the pocket and land combinations. He’s willing to mix it up, averaging about one takedown landed and one submission attempted per fifteen minutes. Training at Kill Cliff FC, he pushes a heavy pace and is at his best in a dogfight, controlling the center and forcing his opponent to the outside. Landwehr has earned five performance bonuses in his last eight UFC appearances and always leaves everything inside the cage.

Louis Jordain vs. Timmy Cuamba

*Louis Jordain fires a jab at Magno Dias. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Bantamweight Bout

Louis Jordain: 9-3-0, 4 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Timmy Cuamba: 10-4-0, 5 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Jourdain has won four of his last five outings and is making his UFC debut. He’s a precise striker with outstanding kicks and counterstriking. He’s elusive throughout and won’t hang in the pocket, instead landing constant kicks at range, darting inside to land a combination, and quickly returning to the outside. Jourdain regularly switches stances and has a solid arsenal of flashy attacks, often mixing spinning kicks and jumping knees into his offense. Training at BTT Canada, he won’t usually bring the fight to the mat, but he’s a BJJ black belt, has good scrambles, and will relentlessly rain down ground-and-pound if he secures top position. He has excellent range management and will regularly land damaging counterstrikes as his opponents enter his range, particularly his lead hook. Jourdain has finished all of his last four wins and heats up as the fight continues, systematically breaking down his opponents with accurate, heavy strikes.

*Timmy Cuamba launches a kick to the head of Roberto Romero. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

Cuamba has won two of his last five fights and has UFC wins over Roberto Romero (8-5-1) and Chang Ho Lee (11-2-0). He’s a snappy striker with fantastic hand speed and strong wrestling. He throws everything in combination and stays technical throughout, keeping his attacks accurate and untelegraphed. He has great footwork and constantly looks to stick and move, often landing big shots before returning to range unscathed. Training at BK MMA, he’s averaging over one takedown per fifteen minutes and has excellent reversals, usually finding himself in top position after a grappling exchange. He has great top control and dangerous chokes, even attempting them while standing, often to defend takedowns. Cuamba favors his hands but has an excellent arsenal of kicks and regularly attempts flashy attacks like flying knees, spinning kicks, and spinning elbows.

Marc-André Barriault vs. Kyle Daukaus

*Marc-André Barriault unloads ground-and-pound onto Bruno Silva. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Middleweight Bout

Marc-André Barriault: 17-11-0, 11 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Kyle Daukaus: 17-5-0, 2 KO/TKO, 12 Sub.

Barriault has won one of his last five bouts and holds UFC victories over Eryk Anders (18-9-0), Bruno Silva (23-13-0), and Jordan Wright (14-5-0). He’s a brawler with one-shot knockout power and excellent cardio. He throws every shot with power and is willing to take a shot to land one, regularly marching through punches to land some of his own. Barriault does a great job of mixing kicks into his striking combinations, often targeting the body or legs before letting his hands go. He’s most comfortable in a brawl but can sustain a heavy pace for three rounds, carrying his power throughout. Training at Kill Cliff FC, he won’t usually pursue takedowns but has solid takedown defense and getups. Barriault has earned three consecutive post-fight bonuses and is always looking to put on a show.

*Kyle Daukaus blasts Michel Pereira with a thudding elbow. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Daukaus has won four of his last five outings and has UFC wins over Gerald Meerschaert (37-23-0) and Michel Pereira (32-15-0) since returning to the promotion in 2025. He’s a submission ace with excellent chokes and solid striking. He uses his length well on the feet, fighting in an upright stance and regularly firing long, heavy straight punches. Daukaus doesn’t have insane power, but he’s impressively accurate and can produce quick knockouts if he finds the chin early. He’s averaging about two takedowns per fifteen minutes and is very active on the mat, constantly working to improve his position and maintain control. He relentlessly pursues submissions even when standing and regularly defends takedowns with chokes. Daukaus has an outstanding d’arce choke and has secured eight of his twelve submission wins via d’arce, with the other four coming via rear-naked choke.

Kyle Nelson vs. Cristian Pérez

*Kyle Nelson tags Bill Algeo with stiff right hook. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Lightweight Bout

Kyle Nelson: 17-7-1, 6 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Cristian Peréz: 15-2-0, 6 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Nelson has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Matt Frevola (11-6-1), Bill Algeo (18-9-0), and Fernando Padilla (16-6-0). He’s a power-punching scrapper who’s always looking for a finish. He favors power over volume and throws everything with knockout intent, both punches and kicks. Nelson has dangerous kicks and will regularly add them to the end of combinations without any tell, especially to the head. He does a solid job of varying his targets and will land vicious kicks from range before stepping into the pocket to throw wild, looping hooks and overhands. Training at Niagara Top Team, he’s landing, on average, over one takedown per fifteen minutes in the UFC and is very strong in the clinch. Nelson has secured eight of his ten finishes in the first round but carries his power throughout and is always dangerous.

*Cristian Pérez lands a cracking right hand on Logan Paxton. Credit: Zuffa LLC.*

Pérez has won four of his last five bouts and is making his UFC debut. He’s a slick, powerful striker with outstanding grappling. He has great footwork and range management, remaining unpredictable throughout by constantly varying his targets, strikes, and angles. Pérez pushes a heavy pace from the opening bell, throwing everything in combination and regularly adding in vicious body shots and kicks. He’s always active on the mat, constantly floating from position to position while maintaining control and not allowing his opponent to escape. Training at the UFC PI Mexico City, He will constantly hunt a finish from the top and consistently unload ground-and-pound while looking for submission openings. Pérez has finished his last six wins and can produce a highlight-reel moment at any time, having secured finishes in the first, second, and third rounds.

#3 Erin Blanchfield vs. #6 Jasmine Jasudavicius

*Erin Blanchfield stuns Tracy Cortez with a powerful right hand. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Women’s Flyweight Bout

Erin Blanchfield: 14-2-0, 2 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Jasmine Jasudavicius: 15-4-0, 2 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Blanchfield has won four of her last five outings and holds UFC wins over #7-ranked Flyweight Rose Namajunas (15-8-0), #10-ranked Flyweight Tracy Cortez (12-4-0), and #12-ranked Flyweight Miranda Maverick (17-6-0). She’s a versatile fighter with technical kickboxing and outstanding grappling. She has great footwork and remains in perpetual motion, constant circling, fighting behind her jab, and looking for entries into the pocket to unload heavy straight punches. Blanchfield’s grappling sets up her striking, with the constant threat of a takedown creating openings to land big combinations and kicks. Training at MK Muay Thai, she’s averaging about two takedowns per fifteen minutes in her UFC tenure and has smothering top control. She’s always active on top and often secures a dominant position with blinding speed before pursuing submissions, usually chokes. Blanchfield is a lifelong martial artist and is comfortable in any position, never backing down from a fight.

*Jasmine Jasudavicius chokes out Ariane Lipski da Silva with a tight d’arce choke. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Jasudavicius has won four of her last five fights and has UFC victories over #12-ranked Flyweight Miranda Maverick (17-6-0), #14-ranked Flyweight Karine Silva (19-7-0), and Fatima Kline (10-1-0). She’s a well-rounded scrapper with outstanding wrestling and technical striking. Training at Niagara Top Team, she’s willing to exchange on the feet and take a shot to land one, but she won’t get sloppy, always keeping her punches straight and tight. Jasudavicius’s striking sets up her grappling, often punching her way inside to close the distance before shooting for a takedown. She has outstanding takedowns and can deliver powerful slams before securing a dominant position on the mat. She has outstanding top pressure and is very active on top, constantly looking to improve position while relentlessly raining down vicious ground-and-pound. Jasudavicius holds the record for the largest strike differential in a UFC women’s fight, landing 326 total strikes and absorbing just 26 in return against Priscila Cachoeira.

#8 Joaquin Buckley vs. #11 Mike Malott

*Joaquin Buckley rains down vicious ground-and-pound shots onto Vicente Luque. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Welterweight Bout

Joaquin Buckley: 21-8-0, 15 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Mike Malott: 14-2-1, 6 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Buckley has won three of his last five bouts and holds UFC victories over Stephen Thompson (17-9-1), Vicente Luque (24-13-1), and Nursulton Ruziboev (37-10-2). He’s an explosive striker with serious power in his hands and kicks. He stays in constant motion, firing heavy kicks from range before blitzing forward to close the distance and unload heavy shots on the inside. Buckley throws everything with power but isn’t wild, varying his attacks and regularly landing to the body and legs, especially with his kicks. Training at Murcielago MMA, he’s willing to grapple and averages over one takedown per fifteen minutes, but he’s most comfortable on his feet. He carries his power throughout the fight and has earned all of his UFC knockouts in the second or third round. Buckley always pushes a heavy pace and has earned two post-fight bonuses in his last four UFC appearances.

*Mike Malott staggers Gilbert Burns with a powerful left hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Malott has won four of his last five outings and has UFC wins over Kevin Holland (29-15-0), Charles Radtke (12-5-0), and Gilbert Burns (22-10-0). He’s a powerful boxer with outstanding wrestling skills. He has sharp hands, throwing every shot with power and in combinations while remaining technical throughout. Malott tends to headhunt and favors power punches, regularly stepping into the pocket to unload heavy hooks. Training at Niagara Top Team, he’s an explosive grappler who can pull off impressive slams and throws. He’s landing, on average, about two takedowns per fifteen minutes and has a dangerous submission game, particularly chokes. Malott has seen the judges’ scorecards only twice in his eight UFC fights and is always looking for a finish.

Best Bets

Mandel Nallo by KO/TKO: This is an exciting matchup between two entertaining strikers. Both push a heavy pace and are always willing to throw down inside the pocket, but I believe Nallo has a significant power advantage and will be able to put Landwehr away. Landwehr has been on a tough skid, suffering three consecutive knockout losses to power-punchers, and now faces another. Nallo also has a sizeable reach and height advantage, which creates serious issues for a fighter like Landwehr, who’s constantly looking to close the distance to either brawl on the inside or pursue takedowns. I expect Nallo to come out guns blazing, putting Landwehr on his back foot and lighting him up with long, heavy shots. As the fight continues, I expect Nallo to pressure Landwehr relentlessly, constantly firing power shots and never allowing Landwehr to get comfortable or bring the fight to the mat. Ultimately, Landwehr’s chin hasn’t looked great lately, and I anticipate an impressive knockout win for Nallo, whether it’s early on or in a later round.

Kyle Daukaus Moneyline: This is an intriguing matchup between two dangerous fighters with very different skill sets. Barriault is a true brawler who prefers to keep it standing, while Daukaus is a submission ace who will regularly look to take the fight to the mat. Although Barriault likely has a striking advantage, I believe Daukaus is the more well-rounded of the two and can overcome Barriault's takedown defense to control the fight on the ground. Barriault has not faced many grapplers in the UFC and has not fared well when he has, as shown by his losses to Anthony Hernandez and JunYong Park. I expect Daukaus to pursue takedowns very early, keeping Barriault in the clinch or shooting repeatedly, not allowing him to get comfortable or establish any kind of striking rhythm. Once Daukaus gets the fight to the floor, I expect him to take full control, wearing down Barriault’s cardio with submission threats and doing constant damage with ground-and-pound. Barriault can be tough to finish, but I’m confident that, regardless of how the fight ends, Daukaus will emerge the victor.

Buckley vs. Malott Over 3.5 Rounds: This is an outstanding matchup of two dangerous Welterweights that I’ve been looking forward to. Although both are talented strikers with plenty of knockout power, I don’t believe this fight will end quickly. Malott has struggled with his cardio at times and has not faced a UFC opponent with Buckley’s power, so I can’t imagine he’s looking to get into a barnburner and will likely look to wrestle from the opening bell. Considering Buckley is coming off back-to-back losses, I’d anticipate a more measured, cautious approach from him as he tries to get back into the win column. I expect a slower pace to start the fight, with both respecting each other’s power while Malott looks for takedowns and Buckley attempts to defend them. As the fight continues, I believe the pace will pick up a bit more, with more striking exchanges, but I also expect Malott to create grappling exchanges throughout the fight, lessening the chance of an early knockout. Overall, I expect an exciting fight with plenty of competitive moments, but I’m confident that it will last at least three and a half rounds.

UFC Fight Night: Buckley vs. Malott Preview