Through his first six appearances inside the Octagon, things have gone very well for Malott. He earned five victories, four stoppages, and a pair of Performance of the Night bonuses to date. But as is sometimes the case with fighters on the come-up, it’s his one miscue that stands out the most for fans and observers.
After tearing through Mickey Gall, Yohan Lainesse, and Adam Fugitt to bring himself to the cusp of cracking the Top 15, Malott garnered a main card assignment opposite divisional stalwart Neil Magny at UFC 297 in Toronto. Fourty-five minutes from where he grew up, he fought in an arena so familiar to him that he — like most Ontario natives — still calls by its old name. Up 2-0 on all three scorecards and one round from earning a fourth consecutive victory and potentially a spot in the rankings, Malott faltered, and Magny scored a signature come-from-behind win over an aspiring fighter that wasn’t quite ready to take that next step.
Two wins and 19 months later, Malott is right back where he started 2024, but this time, he’s armed with the lessons learned from his lone setback since touching down in the UFC.
“Every time I go out there and trust my preparation, trust my training, it speaks for itself,” offered the thoughtful Canadian. “I’ve been having pretty solid performances, and I’m pretty happy with the fights I’ve had. There’s the one I wish I would have won, but I’m right back in that same scenario now, and I feel all the more prepared for it while probably going against an even better guy, an even tougher guy, and prepared to put on an even better performance.
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