UFC Fight Night: Buckley vs. Malott, Main Card Preview and Picks
Event: UFC Fight Night: Buckley vs. Malott Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026. Main card scheduled for 8:00 PM ET. Location: Rogers Place, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Card sources: the bouts and records below were checked against the official event page, the official fight-by-fight preview, the official weigh-in results and CBS Sports' event page. Records are as CBS Sports lists them as of Oct 16, 2026. Late changes are possible, so check the official card before the event.
The main event is scheduled for five rounds. Every other bout is scheduled for three.
Main Event, Welterweight: Joaquin Buckley (21-8) vs. Mike Malott (14-2-1)
| Joaquin Buckley | Mike Malott | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 21-8 | 14-2-1 |
| Ranking (per sources above) | No. 10 | No. 13 |
| Recent form | Two straight losses, after starting at welterweight 6-0 | Four straight wins, the latest a third-round stoppage of Gilbert Burns in April |
The read: Buckley is still one of the most dangerous single-shot strikers in the division. His two recent losses came when he was taken down and held there by elite wrestlers (Kamaru Usman and Sean Brady, per the official preview). Malott is a well-rounded finisher with real grappling, but he isn't the same kind of wrestler as those two. So the fight comes down to whether Malott can mix in enough takedown threats to keep Buckley from planting his feet and throwing big. On the feet, Buckley's power keeps every exchange risky. Over five rounds, Malott's variety and pace should matter more, and he's fighting at home on a four-fight winning streak.
Pick: Mike Malott by decision. Confidence: medium. Buckley's power makes a knockout upset a live possibility at any point.
Co-Main, Women's Flyweight: Erin Blanchfield (14-2) vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius (15-4)
| Erin Blanchfield | Jasmine Jasudavicius | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 14-2 (8-1 in the promotion) | 15-4 |
| Recent form | Decision over Rose Namajunas, then avenged her loss to Tracy Cortez | Lost to Manon Fiorot last October, then a decision over Karine Silva in April |
The read: Blanchfield's game is built on grappling: chain wrestling, top control and constant submission threats. Jasudavicius is big and strong for the division and also has a submission win on her record (over Ariane da Silva). Blanchfield's edge is in transitions and scrambles, and her only recent loss has already been avenged. Jasudavicius needs to keep this standing and use her size along the fence. If Blanchfield gets her down repeatedly, the rounds should go her way.
Pick: Erin Blanchfield by decision. Confidence: medium-high.
Lightweight: Kyle Nelson (17-7-1) vs. Cristian Perez (15-2)
| Kyle Nelson | Cristian Perez | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 17-7-1 | 15-2 |
| Recent form | Beat Matt Frevola, then lost to Terrance McKinney in March; 4-2 over his last six | Debut. Earned his contract with a second-round stoppage of Logan Paxton on the Contender Series |
The read: Perez is a finisher: 12 of his 15 wins came inside the distance, split evenly between knockouts and submissions according to the official preview. Nelson is the seasoned veteran and is comfortable fighting in Canada. Debut nerves and Nelson's experience at dragging fights into deep water are real factors. Even so, Perez's finishing rate and youth (he's 27) point toward him.
Pick: Cristian Perez by submission, Round 2. Confidence: medium-low.
Middleweight: Marc-André Barriault (17-11) vs. Kyle Daukaus (17-5)
| Marc-André Barriault | Kyle Daukaus | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 17-11 | 17-5 |
| Recent form | One win in his last six, though his last two both earned Fight of the Night | Quick stoppages of Michel Pereira and Gerald Meerschaert, then a first-round loss to Bo Nickal |
The read: Barriault is a high-volume pressure fighter who closes distance fast and wants a messy fight. Daukaus is a grappler with good submission instincts. In the past he has struggled against exactly that kind of frantic pressure, but he has looked more composed during this run. Barriault's durability makes him hard to finish. If Daukaus gets to clinch or scramble positions, his grappling should take over.
Pick: Kyle Daukaus by submission, Round 2. Confidence: medium.
Bantamweight: Louis Jourdain (9-3) vs. Timmy Cuamba (10-4)
| Louis Jourdain | Timmy Cuamba | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 9-3 | 10-4 |
| Recent form | Debut. Four straight wins, the last a third-round submission of Magno Dias on the Contender Series; out a little over a year | 2-3 in the promotion, 1-1 at bantamweight. Beat Chang Ho Lee, then lost to Benardo Sopaj |
The read: Jourdain has a direct, fundamentals-first style and finishes on the mat when he gets the chance. The question is rust: he's coming off more than a year away and fighting in the big show for the first time. Cuamba is sharp when he has time and space, but he got outpaced in his last fight. Jourdain's steadier, more complete game should win out over three rounds.
Pick: Louis Jourdain by decision. Confidence: medium-low.
Lightweight: Mandel Nallo (14-4) vs. Nate Landwehr (18-8)
| Mandel Nallo | Nate Landwehr | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 14-4 (plus one no contest, per the official preview) | 18-8 |
| Recent form | Lost his debut to Jai Herbert after having him hurt. Has never gone to a decision | Three straight losses, all stoppages. Moving up from featherweight at 38 |
The read: Nallo is an aggressive finisher who has only gone past the first round five times in his career. Landwehr fights at an all-out pace and is a constant bonus winner. But he has been stopped three times in a row and is moving up a weight class at 38, so he's taking on bigger shots after a lot of damage. Expect chaos early. Nallo's power and size advantage are the safer bet.
Pick: Mandel Nallo by KO/TKO, Round 1. Confidence: medium.
Picks summary
| Bout | Pick | Method | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buckley vs. Malott | Malott | Decision | — |
| Blanchfield vs. Jasudavicius | Blanchfield | Decision | — |
| Nelson vs. Perez | Perez | Submission | 2 |
| Barriault vs. Daukaus | Daukaus | Submission | 2 |
| Jourdain vs. Cuamba | Jourdain | Decision | — |
| Nallo vs. Landwehr | Nallo | KO/TKO | 1 |
Every pick here will be graded on the Record page after the event.
Analysis only. Not betting advice. AI-assisted content. This site is independent and not affiliated with any promotion; event and fighter names are used only to identify what we're analyzing.
Analysis only. Not betting advice. AI-assisted content published under the Last Round Picks brand.