*A bloodied Gilbert Burns lands a thudding right hand on Khamzat Chimaev. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

The UFC heads to the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Canada, for an action-packed Fight Night card. There are plenty of excellent matchups, exciting fighters, and local talent all looking to make their mark this weekend inside the Octagon. In the co-main event, two dangerous Bantamweights collide when the always-game Kyler Phillips squares off with wild scrapper Charles Jourdain. A spot in the Welterweight rankings will be on the line in the main event when the powerful brawler Gilbert Burns goes toe-to-toe with heavy-handed boxer Mike Malott. First, we’ll take a look at the featured preliminary bout, then go into the fights on the main card.

Dennis Buzukja vs. Marcio Barbosa

*Dennis Buzukja tags Connor Matthews with a head kick. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Featherweight Bout

Dennis Buzukja: 12-5-0, 5 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Marcio Barbosa: 17-2-0, 14 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Buzukja has won two of his last five fights and has a UFC victory over Connor Matthews (7-4-0). He’s a powerful, technical striker who throws everything with bad intentions. He has heavy kicks and often opens his combinations with them before exploding forward with power punches. Buzukja throws every shot with power but remains technical throughout, varying his attacks and picking his shots carefully. He has good distance management and counterstriking, doing a great job of staying out of range and timing his punches. Training with Serra-Longo Fight Team, he won’t typically look to bring the fight to the mat, but he has solid scrambles and reversals and usually won’t be held down for long. Buzukja has solid cardio and carries his power throughout the fight, but he has secured four of his five knockout wins in the first round and is especially dangerous early on.

*Marcio Barbosa lands a thudding right hand on the chin of Damon Wilson. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Barbosa has won four of his last five bouts and is making his UFC debut. He’s a marauding striker with one-shot knockout power. He’s always coming forward, pressuring his opponent and backing them up against the cage to close the distance and unload bombs. Barbosa largely favors his punches but also has heavy kicks and regularly mixes thudding body shots into his combinations. Training with Giants Team, he throws everything with impressive speed and is always looking to set up his devastating left hook. He’s most comfortable on his feet and rarely initiates grappling exchanges, but he holds a brown belt in Luta Livre and can survive off his back. Barbosa has secured all of his knockout victories in the first round and has ended his last four fights via first-round KO.

Thiago Moisés vs. Gauge Young

*Thiago Moisés secures a rear naked choke on Christos Giagos. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Lightweight Bout

Thiago Moisés: 19-9-0, 4 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Gauge Young: 10-3-0, 6 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Moisés has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Melquizael Costa (26-7-0), Alexander Hernandez (18-8-0), and King Green (34-17-1). He’s a slick grappler with excellent wrestling and dangerous submissions. Training at American Top Team, he has solid power in his hands and kicks, but he usually won’t waste much time before shooting for a takedown. Moisés is very active on the ground, has excellent top pressure, and advances position with impressive speed. He’s smart in top position, maintaining control and only throwing when he’s postured up without getting too wild. He excels at getting to his opponent’s back, where he’s most dangerous, and finds submissions, especially chokes, with lightning speed. Moisés heats up as the fight continues and has secured six of his eight submission victories after the first round.

*Gauge Young stuns Maheshate with a powerful left hook. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Young has won three of his last five fights and holds a UFC victory over Maheshate (10-5-0). He’s a well-rounded fighter with clean, technical striking and great wrestling. He fights behind his jab and varies his targets, constantly attacking the head, legs, and body with a steady mix of punches and kicks. Young effectively integrates kicks into his punch combinations and delivers especially punishing leg kicks. Training at Ignite Jiu-Jitsu, he has great entries and timing on his takedowns and is willing to work along the fence, chaining together attempts to bring the fight to the mat. He’s very active in top position, constantly working to improve or damage without allowing his opponent to get back to their feet. Young has solid cardio and can go three rounds comfortably, maintaining a consistent pace throughout.

#7 Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. #9 Karine Silva

*Jasmine Jasudavicius rains down heavy ground and pound shots onto Priscila Cachoeira. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Women’s Flyweight Bout

Jasmine Jasudavicius: 14-4-0, 2 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Karine Silva: 19-6-0, 9 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Jasudavicius has won four of her last five bouts and has UFC victories over #9 ranked Strawweight Jéssica Andrade (26-15-0), #10 ranked Flyweight Miranda Maverick (15-6-0), and #12 ranked Bantamweight Mayra Bueno Silva (10-6-1). She’s a versatile scrapper with outstanding wrestling and technical striking skills. 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 to close the distance before shooting in 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.

*Karine Silva locks in a tight D’arce choke on Poliano Botelho. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Silva has won three of her last five outings, with UFC victories over Ketlen Souza (16-6-0), Dione Barbosa (9-4-0), and Ariane Lipski da Silva (18-11-0). She’s a dangerous submission artist with solid hand power. She’s in perpetual motion on her feet, constantly feinting and opening combinations with kicks. Silva throws everything in combination and has excellent clinch striking, often using it to set up her grappling. Training with the Fighting Nerds, she’s averaging nearly four takedowns landed and over two submissions attempted per fifteen minutes. She has excellent takedown entries, transitions quickly from top position, and can wrap up submissions seemingly in the blink of an eye. Silva has secured six of her eight submissions in round one and is particularly dangerous early, but she also has the cardio to fight hard over three rounds.

Mandel Nallo vs. Jai Herbert

*Mandel Nallo cracks Samuel Silva with a stiff right hand. Credit: MMA Junkie.*

Lightweight Bout

Mandel Nallo: 14-3-0, 8 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Jai Herbert: 20-6-0, 9 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Nallo is on a five-fight win streak and making his UFC debut. He’s a powerful, precise striker 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 heavy 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 five of his consecutive wins in the first round and always pushes a heavy pace.

*Jai Herbert fires a kick to the head of Khama Worthy. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Herbert has won two of his last five fights, with one draw, and holds UFC victories over Kyle Nelson (17-7-1), Rolando Bedoya (14-5-0), and Khama Worthy (19-10-0). He’s a powerful, precise striker with excellent boxing and heavy kicks. He’s in perpetual motion, with excellent footwork and distance management, constantly landing long, straight punches the instant his opponent enters his range. Herbert mixes in his kicks, especially head kicks, without any tell. Training at Renegade Jiu-Jitsu, he’s willing to eat a shot to land one, but he remains technical throughout and can maintain a heavy pace across three rounds. He has a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and typically won’t look to grapple, but he has great throws and trips from the clinch. Herbert is rarely in a bad fight and always leaves everything inside the cage.

Kyler Phillips vs. Charles Jourdain

*Kyer Phillips tags Pedro Munhoz with a stiff right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Bantamweight Bout

Kyler Phillips: 12-4-0, 5 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Charles Jourdain: 17-8-1, 8 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Phillips has won three of his last five bouts and holds UFC victories over #5 ranked Bantamweight Song Yadong (22-9-1), Pedro Munhoz (20-10-0), and Raoni Barcelos (21-5-0). He’s an exceptionally fluid striker with an impressive grappling background. He has excellent footwork and is highly elusive, constantly entering the pocket to let his hands go and exiting without absorbing significant damage. Training at the MMA LAB, Phillips throws everything in combination, regularly mixing in kicks while continually changing levels and attacking from different angles. Averaging over two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes in the UFC, he’s an accomplished grappler, holding a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and California state championships in wrestling and Judo. He’s impressively explosive and quick, able to throw heavy or commit to strikes without telegraphing. Phillips has excellent cardio and pushes a heavy pace throughout, landing, on average, about 71 significant strikes in his last five wins.

*Charles Jourdain celebrates as he locks in a guillotine choke on Davey Grant. Credit: MMA Mania.*

Jourdain has won three of his last five outings, with UFC victories coming over Davey Grant (17-8-0), Victory Henry (25-7-0), and Dooho Choi (16-4-1). He’s a well-rounded fighter with sharp, flashy striking and outstanding chokes. He’s in perpetual motion, throws everything fast, never telegraphs, and varies his targets between the head, legs, and body. Jourdain loves to throw jumping attacks and regularly attempts Superman punches, jumping knees, and jumping kicks. He’s impressively durable and always willing to hang in the pocket and exchange. Training at BTT Canada, he usually doesn’t pursue takedowns, but he has a fantastic guillotine and will regularly try to secure it whether he’s standing, in top position, or on his back. Jourdain has earned three Performance of the Night bonuses in his last five fights and always puts on a show.

#11 Gilbert Burns vs. Mike Malott

*Gilbert Burns fires an overhand right at Michael Morales. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Welterweight Bout

Gilbert Burns: 22-9-0, 6 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.

Mike Malott: 13-2-1, 5 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Burns has won two of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Stephen Thompson (17-9-1), Neil Magny (31-15-0), and Gunnar Nelson (19-6-1). He’s a decorated grappler with serious power in his hands and is always pursuing a finish. He’s constantly moving on his feet, looking to close the distance, dip his head, and unleash brutal overhands. Burns has explosive takedowns, excellent top control, and a fantastic submission game. He’s just as dangerous on the mat as he is on his feet, with smothering top control and particularly dangerous armbars and chokes. Training at Kill Cliff FC, he has a granite chin and pushes a consistent pace across all 15 minutes, always coming forward to exchange. Burns has been in the promotion for over a decade and has faced a who’s-who of the Welterweight division, never backing down from a scrap.

*Mike Malott unload a heavy right hand on Kevin Holland. Credit: MMA Fighting.*

Malott has won four of his last five bouts, holding UFC victories over Kevin Holland (29-15-0), Charles Radtke (12-5-0), and Trevin Giles (16-7-0). 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 seven UFC fights and is always looking for a finish.

Best Bets

Marcio Barbosa by KO/TKO: This is an exciting matchup between two dangerous strikers. While both prefer to keep the fight standing, I believe Barbosa has the edge in striking, especially in power. Buzukja has struggled against other strikers in the UFC, with his lone win in the promotion coming against a grappler, Connor Matthews. Barbosa is a much more potent striker than any of Buzukja’s previous opponents and fights at a much higher pace than Buzukja typically does. Buzukja has also proven to be relatively hittable, absorbing, on average, over 50 significant strikes per fight during his UFC tenure. I expect Barbosa to come out guns blazing, pressuring Buzukja and forcing him to fight in boxing range, where he can’t use the kicks he often relies on to set up combinations. Once Barbosa has Buzukja backed up, I believe he’ll continue to gain momentum until he inevitably finds the shot to finish him and earn a knockout victory in his debut.

Charles Jourdain Moneyline: This is a fantastic matchup of two well-rounded Bantamweights that I’ve been looking forward to. Both fighters are dangerous wherever the fight goes, but I believe Jourdain's speed and submission game will be the deciding factor. These two have been trending in opposite directions recently, with Jourdain coming off back-to-back impressive wins, while Phillips is on a tough two-fight losing streak. Phillips is a talented striker but is better off in a slower, more technical striking match, which is not the fight he will get from Jourdain, who keeps a high pace and is always looking for a finish. I also believe Jourdain’s outstanding guillotine is a significant deterrent to Phillips’s takedowns, as Phillips often relies on his wrestling when he’s losing the striking battle. I expect this fight to get off to a quick start, with Jourdain pressuring Phillips and using his speed advantage to overwhelm him, preventing Phillips from getting comfortable or establishing his rhythm. As the fight continues, I believe Jourdain will be able to fend off Phillips’s takedowns, keep the fight standing, and outpace him on the feet en route to his third straight win.

Burns vs. Malott Over 2.5 Rounds: This matchup of two powerful scrappers has major implications for both fighters. A win for Burns would be a huge bounce-back after four consecutive losses, and a win for Malott would give him a chance to climb back into the top 15. While I expect this to be a fun fight with some wild striking exchanges, I don’t expect it to end particularly early. Both fighters can push an impressive pace, but neither is known for first-round knockouts or going crazy from the opening bell. This is also the first five-round fight of Malott’s UFC career, so I expect him to be mindful of his cardio and manage his pace, at least early on. I would also be surprised to see Burns immediately looking to brawl, considering he’s coming off a first-round knockout loss and desperately needs a win. I believe both fighters will heat up as the fight progresses and take more risks, but I’m confident this fight will last at least two and a half rounds.

UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Malott Preview