MALOTT CALLS BUCKLEY HIS PERFECT LITMUS TEST IN EDMONTON
“It's a top-10 opponent. It's what we need. It's clearly the next step.”
Mike Malott headlines UFC Fight Night 291 at home in Edmonton on Saturday, and he says top-10 opponent Joaquin Buckley is exactly the step he needs.
"I love the matchup."
Mike Malott said that to MMA Junkie on Monday. The Canadian headlines Saturday at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, against Joaquin Buckley in a five-round welterweight main event at UFC Fight Night 291.
This is not a showcase fight. Malott calls it a litmus test, and the record in front of him says he is right.
Why Edmonton Matters Now
Malott is 14-2-1 in MMA and 7-1 in the UFC. He says he has beaten two ranked fighters in his last two fights, and he sees Buckley as the clear next step up.
"It just further cements everything that we're doing right," Malott said.
A home-country main event brings pressure with it. It also brings the crowd, the moment, and the kind of win that moves a fighter from prospect talk to contender talk.
Buckley Brings Danger And Desperation
Buckley is 21-8 in MMA and 11-6 in the UFC. He is a multi-time UFC headliner, but he has lost back-to-back fights, to Kamaru Usman and Sean Brady.
That makes him dangerous. A veteran headliner on a losing run has everything to lose, and Malott knows Buckley is not finished.
"It's a top-10 opponent. It's what we need. It's clearly the next step."
— Mike Malott, to MMA Junkie
Trash Talk Changes Nothing
Malott expects Buckley may talk before the fight. He says it will not change his preparation, his skill set, or who he is in the cage.
That calm is the real story of this matchup. One man is climbing the ladder the patient way. The other is fighting to stay on it.
Malott, 34, admits he does not know exactly how close a title shot is. Beat Buckley in Edmonton, and that question answers itself — so who takes the next step at 170 pounds?
