Mike Malott Shocks Buckley as UFC Edmonton Delivers

Mike Malott finished Joaquin Buckley with a knee strike in the UFC Edmonton main event, a result almost nobody expected given Buckley's striking reputation and his advantage on paper against the Canadian welterweight.

The finish did not come from grappling, which was widely seen as Malott's best path to victory heading into fight week. Instead, "Proper" Mike Malott found it with a strike that will run on highlight packages for years. It is the kind of signature moment every fighter hopes to get once in a UFC career, the sort of finish that gets replayed next to Edson Barboza's kick on Terry Etim or Lyoto Machida's crane kick on Randy Couture.

What Malott's Win Means For The Welterweight Picture

Mike Malott was already building a case in a loaded 170-pound division before Saturday, having picked up notable wins over Gilbert Burns and Kevin Holland. Beating Joaquin Buckley in this fashion does more than add a win to the resume. It gives Malott a signature highlight that pushes his profile well beyond the Canadian fan base, and at 34 years old he looks far from a finished product. In a welterweight division this deep, a statement finish like this one tends to open doors to much bigger fights.

Jasudavicius Moves Into The Title Conversation

Jasmine Jasudavicius strengthened her position in the flyweight title picture with a dominant grappling win over Erin Blanchfield at UFC Edmonton. With Valentina Shevchenko expected to be out for close to a year, the 125-pound division is being reshaped around new champion Natalia Silva, who won the vacant title against Wang Cong earlier this month. Alexa Grasso and Jasudavicius now look like the two clearest contenders. Grasso has a highlight finish of Maycee Barber on her resume from earlier this year, but she, like Jasudavicius, enters this stretch off a decision win rather than a finish. Jasudavicius already has history with Silva, having lost to her years ago during just her second UFC bout, and both fighters have visibly progressed since. The UFC has a Toronto event on the schedule, and a rematch between Silva and Jasudavicius would make obvious sense there given the timing and the stakes.

Boser Changes His Approach In Second UFC Run

Tanner Boser turned things around on the featured prelim after talking at length fight week about wanting to fight smarter in his second UFC stint. Before the bout, Boser pushed back on the idea that grappling would be a factor against Jhonata Diniz, noting he had not landed a takedown in his previous UFC run. Whatever actually played out between the two heavyweights, Boser said afterward that the bigger lesson was about sharpening his overall approach rather than just leaning on power. He remains one of the more entertaining talkers on the roster, with his comments on judging and on fans sharing betting information with fighters both drawing attention around the event.

Betting Angle

Mike Malott's knockout of Joaquin Buckley is the kind of result that will move his number significantly the next time he is booked, given he was not viewed as the favorite on paper against a heavier-handed striker. Expect sportsbooks to shorten his odds against the welterweight field going forward. On the women's flyweight side, if the UFC does pair Natalia Silva with Jasmine Jasudavicius in Toronto, bettors should note that Jasudavicius enters that kind of matchup with real momentum and a grappling path that has now worked against elite competition in Erin Blanchfield.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Mike Malott beat Joaquin Buckley at UFC Edmonton?

Mike Malott finished Joaquin Buckley with a knee strike in the UFC Edmonton main event, an unexpected result given Buckley's striking advantage on paper.

What does Jasmine Jasudavicius' win over Erin Blanchfield mean for the flyweight title?

Jasmine Jasudavicius used dominant grappling to beat Erin Blanchfield at UFC Edmonton, putting her alongside Alexa Grasso as the clearest contenders to challenge new flyweight champion Natalia Silva.

What happened with Tanner Boser at UFC Edmonton?

Tanner Boser fought on the featured prelim against Jhonata Diniz after saying fight week that he was trying to fight smarter in his second UFC stint, following a career in which he had not landed a UFC takedown.