Joaquin Buckley vs. Mike Malott Prediction, Betting Pick, Latest UFC Odds for Saturday, October 17th
Mike Malott gets another Canadian main-event opportunity when he faces dangerous welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley in Edmonton. Can Malott extend his four-fight winning streak against one of the division’s most explosive knockout threats while continuing his push toward the top 10? Check out this Joaquin Buckley vs. Mike Malott prediction and best bet for Saturday, October 17.
Peter Alexis - October 17, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT
4 Minute ReadJoaquin Buckley vs. Mike Malott Prediction: Can Malott Earn Main Event Win on Saturday Night?
Malott enters the biggest fight of his career with considerable momentum after stopping former title challenger Gilbert Burns in April. The Canadian has won four straight and has developed into a much more complete fighter since his lone UFC loss to Neil Magny.
Buckley arrives from the opposite direction after consecutive decision losses to Kamaru Usman and Sean Brady. Those defeats exposed problems when opponents consistently forced him into wrestling exchanges, creating an obvious blueprint for Malott despite Buckley’s enormous striking danger.
Joaquin Buckley vs. Mike Malott Recent Results
Joaquin Buckley (21-8)
Buckley opened his welterweight run with six consecutive victories before running into two elite grapplers. Usman controlled him over five rounds in June 2025 before Brady used another wrestling-heavy approach to earn a unanimous decision in May.
The losses have not diminished Buckley’s finishing ability. Fifteen of his 21 career victories have come by knockout, and his explosiveness makes him dangerous any time the fight remains at striking range.
Mike Malott (14-2-1)
Malott has responded to his loss against Magny with four consecutive victories. He defeated Trevin Giles by decision, stopped Charles Radtke, beat Kevin Holland over three rounds and then finished Burns in the third round in April.
His 14 victories include six knockouts and six submissions, providing considerably more finishing variety than most welterweights. Malott has also won five of his six UFC fights in Canada.
Joaquin Buckley vs. Mike Malott Date, Time and Where to Watch
- Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
- Main Card: 8:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Rogers Place, Edmonton, Alberta
- Streaming: Paramount+
- Scheduled Rounds: Five
Joaquin Buckley vs. Mike Malott Odds
- Spread: Buckley +5.5 (-145) | Malott -5.5 (+110)
- Moneyline: Buckley +114 | Malott -135
- Total: Over 3.5 (-115) | Under 3.5 (-115)
Click here for complete UFC odds
Joaquin Buckley vs. Mike Malott Prediction
Buckley’s power prevents this from becoming a comfortable favorite spot. Malott cannot casually exchange in the pocket with a fighter who has produced 15 professional knockouts and can change a fight with one clean combination.
The larger matchup still favors Malott because he does not need to give Buckley the striking battle he wants. Usman and Brady combined to show how dramatically Buckley’s effectiveness drops when he is forced to defend takedowns and repeatedly work back to his feet.
Malott is not the caliber of pure wrestler that Usman or Brady is, but his grappling is good enough to incorporate the same general strategy. The threat of level changes should also create cleaner striking opportunities once Buckley begins anticipating the takedown.
The five-round setting is another advantage for the more versatile fighter. Malott showed patience against Burns before eventually finding the third-round finish, while Buckley has now spent long stretches of consecutive fights being controlled when opponents dictate where the exchanges occur.
At -135, the moneyline does not require Malott to finish another dangerous veteran. His current form, grappling advantage and ability to win the fight in multiple phases provide enough separation to back the Canadian at home.
Joaquin Buckley vs. Mike Malott Best Bet
- Pick: Mike Malott Moneyline (-135) Check out these best odds at FanDuel Sportsbook
Malott has won four straight and enters after the best victory of his UFC career. Buckley remains dangerous enough to make every striking exchange tense, but the Canadian has the more complete route to victory across five rounds and can attack the same wrestling weakness that contributed to Buckley’s last two losses.
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