UFC welterweight contender Mike Malott will continue his run as the face of Canadian Mixed Martial Arts against a dangerous opponent.

The UFC continues to magnetize top-tier talent from around the world, and Canada is among the regions with the biggest surges in prospects.

After UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre’s retirement following UFC 217, the promotion has been looking for a new ‘face of Canadian MMA’ in recent years. One such candidate is welterweight Mike Malott, who has won four fights in a row and is coming off his first UFC main event.

Malott defeated former title challenger Gilbert Burns at UFC Winnipeg earlier this year and is racing towards the welterweight Top 10. As the promotion prepares to return to Edmonton in October, Malott will headline the card against another dangerous contender.

Mike Malott faces toughest UFC test in upcoming Edmonton main event

As announced by the UFC, Malott will face Joaquin Buckley in the UFC Edmonton main event on October 17th.

Buckley returns to the Octagon for the first time since a loss to Sean Brady at UFC 328 in May. He’s lost two straight fights, including a unanimous decision defeat to former champion Kamaru Usman at UFC Atlanta last summer.

Before his recent struggles, Buckley won six straight fights in his return to the welterweight division after an up-and-down middleweight tenure. He earned wins over the likes of Colby Covington, Stephen Thompson and Nursulton Ruziboev during his recent streak.

Malott, a Dana White’s Contender Series alum, will look to extend his ongoing win streak since a loss to Neil Magny at UFC 297. A win over Buckley could potentially skyrocket Malott into a title eliminator bout.

Malott vs. Buckley headlines an intriguing card at UFC Edmonton. The full fight lineup is expected to be finalized and announced in the coming weeks.

What is your prediction for Mike Malott vs. Joaquin Buckley? Let us know in the comments!