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Mike Malott confident heading into first UFC main event vs. Gilbert Burns

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You’d have to go all the way back to the middle of 2016 to find the last time a Canadian fighter headlined a UFC event that was located in Canada, but that streak ends this week in Manitoba.

Ontario’s Mike Malott is set for the biggest test of his mixed martial arts career when he faces one-time welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns in a UFC Fight Night headliner Saturday at Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre.

Malott will join Georges St-Pierre (Montreal 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013) and Rory MacDonald (2016 Ottawa, 2014 Halifax) as the only Canadians to headline a UFC card in front of the home crowd.

GSP is the consensus greatest 170-pound fighter in MMA history and MacDonald was a perennial top contender in the UFC who later became a Bellator MMA welterweight champion. Malott competes in the same division as his compatriots and predecessors, but he hasn’t yet reached the upper echelon of the weight class.

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“I just keep thinking about how a high school version of me would react to hearing I’m the main event on a UFC card and my name’s going to be on the building,” Malott told Sportsnet’s Martine Gaillard after he began his training camp to prepare for Burns. “It’s super exciting and I’m very grateful for this.”

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Malott is no stranger to fighting in Canada at this point. The 34-year-old member of the Niagara Top Team is 6-1 in the UFC since debuting in 2022, with each of his past five outings being in a Canadian city.

He has won three straight overall and went 2-0 in 2025, knocking out Charles Radtke in May and beating Kevin Holland by decision in October. Both Radtke and Holland just picked up one-sided wins within the past week at UFC 327 in Miami but neither have the credentials Burns does.

The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt previously fought for the belt and holds notable wins over Jorge Masvidal, Stephen Thompson, Demian Maia, former champion Tyron Woodley, plus Neil Magny who’s the only fighter to defeat Malott in the UFC.

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Burns has been struggling heading into his match with Malott after four consecutive losses, including when he was stopped by Michael Morales in one round 11 months ago, yet he isn’t lacking in confidence ahead of UFC Winnipeg.

“I love this matchup,” Burns told Aaron Bronsteter of this pairing. “We were looking for a fight right after I lost to Morales and that was the name that they threw at us. He’s a good competitor. Good submissions, good knockouts. I think he’s a high-level guy.”

Burns is only 7-6 since his move from lightweight up to welterweight in 2019 but four of those losses were to UFC champions Khamzat Chimaev, Jack Della Maddalena, Belal Muhammad and to Kamaru Usman in a 2021 championship fight.

Burns, who turns 40 in July, told Sportsnet he saw some flaws in Malott’s loss to Magny but is expecting a tough test. Malott is currently unranked in the division but that will change if he gets past No. 11-ranked Burns.

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“I expect the best version of (Burns) we’ve seen so far,” Malott said. “I expect him to have made improvements. I expect him to have some new things to his game, but at the same time I’ve seen a lot of this guy’s footage. My coaches are going to be watching a lot of his footage. I’ve seen him fight a bunch of times, so I know what I’m getting myself into for the most part.

“There is that x-factor that you don’t feel until you’re in there with the guy and really feel it but overall I like what I bring to the table and I’d rather be me going into this one for sure.”

  • UFC on Sportsnet
  • UFC on Sportsnet

    Canada’s Mike Malott and Brazil’s Gilbert Burns headline a Fight Night in Winnipeg. Watch all the UFC action on Saturday, April 18 on Sportsnet 360 and Sportsnet+ with coverage beginning at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT.

    Watch UFC on Sportsnet

Saturday’s card marks the third time the UFC has held an event in Winnipeg and the first time since 2017 when former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos defeated former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler in a five-round main event. The first time the UFC had an event in Winnipeg was for UFC 161 in 2013 when Rashad Evans beat Dan Henderson by three-round split decision in the headline bout.

Both previous Winnipeg events also took place at the same venue, which is home to the NHL’s Jets. Malott’s younger brother, Jeff, is a professional hockey player with the Los Angeles Kings but spent the first four seasons of his pro career with the Jets franchise.

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Malott is one of nine Canadian-born fighters set for UFC Winnipeg. Below is the projected bout order (subject to change):

— Gilbert Burns vs. Mike Malott

— Kyler Phillips vs. Charles Jourdain

— Mandel Nallo vs. Jai Herbert

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— Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Karine Silva

— Thiago Moises vs. Gauge Young

— Dennis Buzukja vs. Marcio Barbosa

— Julien Leblanc vs. Robert Valentin

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— Tanner Boser vs. Gokhan Saricam

— Melissa Croden vs. Darya Zheleznyakova

— Mitch Raposo vs. Allan Nascimento

— JJ Aldrich vs. Jamey-Lyn Horth

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— John Castaneda vs. Mark Vologdin

— Jamie Siraj vs. John Yannis

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IPL 2026: CSK’s disciplined bowling and Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 87 brush aside DC in capital | Cricket News

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IPL 2026: CSK's disciplined bowling and Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 87 brush aside DC in capital
Delhi Capitals’ captain Axar Patel shares a light moment with Chennai Super Kings’ Kartik Sharma and Sanju Samson (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

NEW DELHI: There are very few sports teams that look as out of place in home conditions as Delhi Capitals do at the Ferozeshah Kotla. For the second match in a row here, the Capitals brought their unsure and inept batting forward to post 155/7 for Chennai Super Kings to chase it down with eight wickets and 15 balls to spare on Tuesday evening. Not for nothing that the local crowd invariably supports the visiting teams. The stadium turned yellow in favour of CSK despite MS Dhoni not even travelling for the game. The deafening roar after each wicket must have been intimidating for Delhi Capitals. That doesn’t help when you are playing for your survival in the tournament. At the end of the day, CSK’s bowling and Sanju Samson’s assured innings of unbeaten 87 off 52 offered a lesson in playing on a comparatively sluggish surface. This is why CSK are still breathing in this tournament while Capitals are now pushed to the brink.

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CSK applied the choke with left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein opening the bowliung and returning figures of 1/19 from his four overs. Samson, batting with utmost composure and clarity, anchored and paced the chase to a nicety. That again is reflection of his growing stature as a senior batter which helped the rookie Kartik Sharma to pace his innings with little pressure and score 41 not out off 31 balls. The unbeaten 114-run partnership is sharp commentary on Capital’s lead batters KL Rahul and Axar Patel’s inability to step up in conditions that challenge your tenacity tad more. Kuldeep Yadav’s sub-standard bowling, leaking 34 from his three overs, on a helpful pitch made another dent on his reputation Rahul, as has been the case with him on slightly tricky surfaces, played out a sedate Powerplay which yielded 37/1 for Capitals. The slog off Hosein was almost a sign of resignation on Rahul’s part as he departed for 12 off 13 in the sixth over of the match. Captain Axar Patel’s struggles look unending. Tuesday’s proceedings may have been a welcome break from the heady run-scoring trend in the IPL. But it also demonstrated the modern batter’s inability to find a middle ground when the conditions give the bowlers something to work with. Twice in as many matches here, Capitals were forced to use up their Impact Player in the first innings of the match. If it was Abhishek Porel coming out to bat at No. 7 in the Powerplay against Royal Challengers Bengaluru last week, it was Sameer Rizvi’s turn to bring about some respectability at 69/5. But that also meant Capitals couldn’t use their third spinner on a comparatively sluggish track to defend the score in the second half of the match. It is now established that Rizvi is most comfortable playing sedate knocks in situations that don’t demand a high rate of scoring. And he stuck to his game plan—an ultra-cautious start to his innings and then a flourish at the back end to finish with an unbeaten 40 off 24 balls.

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5 Consequences Becky Lynch could face for punching Adam Pearce on WWE RAW

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Becky Lynch had a rough night on this week’s episode of WWE RAW. The Man interrupted Sol Ruca’s official contract signing. The young star previously appeared on the post-WrestleMania 42 edition of the flagship show, losing to Liv Morgan due to Zaria’s interference.

Ruca was set to make her move to the red brand’s show official this week. Adam Pearce was in the ring with her contract, but before she could sign it, Lynch came out. The Women’s Intercontinental Champion complained to Adam Pearce that she was allotted this time slot for her celebration of greatness.

Amid the argument between Lynch and Pearce, Sol Ruca spoke up. The young star had a verbal back-and-forth with The Man, in which she called Lynch a “rude, big-headed b*tch.” The Irish star did not appreciate the young star speaking to her in this manner.

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Lynch was about to strike Sol Ruca, but she moved out of the way, leading to Adam Pearce taking the hit. The RAW General Manager was irate with The Man, as she apologized. Getting physical with an authority figure is never a good idea, and Becky Lynch may have to face the consequences for her actions.

In this listicle, we will look at five consequences Becky Lynch could face for punching Adam Pearce on RAW.


#5. She may be forced to defend the Women’s Intercontinental Championship against Sol Ruca

Adam Pearce could turn Becky Lynch’s punishment into an opportunity to book a high-profile match for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. The segment on RAW ended with Sol Ruca taking Lynch out with a Sol Snatcher. The RAW General Manager could book The Man to defend the Women’s IC Title against the young star.

While it may not happen at Backlash since there is no time for build-up, Saturday Night’s Main Event is set to take place on May 23, where Lynch vs. Ruca for the title could happen. The former NXT Women’s North American Champion has all the potential in the world to lead WWE’s women’s division for years to come.

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Having her face a veteran like Lynch immediately after her main roster debut could elevate Ruca. As a punishment for The Man, Adam Pearce could even allow the ex-NXT star to pick the stipulation for the match.


#4. Becky Lynch could be suspended

The issues between Becky Lynch and Adam Pearce have persisted for a while now. Big Time Becks was practically running an online campaign, claiming that Pearce was incompetent to be the RAW General Manager. Pearce now has a reason to take strict action against Lynch, and he could make the most of it.

Adam Pearce could suspend The Man without pay for punching him on RAW. This would only further Lynch’s disdain towards the on-screen authority figure, opening multiple possibilities for a future storyline.


#3. She could be fined

It’s not unusual for managers and authority figures to become collateral damage in brawls. Adam Pearce himself has been caught in the middle of multiple unfavorable situations. The standard punishment for attacking an authority figure is a fine, which is what Becky Lynch may have to pay for punching Pearce.

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The RAW General Manager could heavily fine The Man for her actions on Monday. Even though Lynch is one of the top stars of the company and is likely wealthy, even she may not enjoy paying a hefty amount for an accidental punch on Adam Pearce.


#2. Becky Lynch could be stripped of the Women’s Intercontinental Championship

Now, this would perhaps be the harshest punishment Adam Pearce could give Becky Lynch for putting her hands on him on RAW. The Man is a record-setting three-time Women’s Intercontinental Champion. She has struggled a lot to regain the title from AJ Lee.

After suffering multiple losses at the hands of AJ, Becky finally defeated her bitter rival at WrestleMania 42 to win the Women’s IC Championship for a third time. Adam Pearce could strip the title away from The Man for her actions on RAW.

Lynch could go on a hiatus, which would then set the stage for a blockbuster return down the line and a potential babyface run for Big Time Becks.

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#1. Adam Pearce could announce an all-brand tournament to determine the number one contender for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship

Adam Pearce could make the Women’s Intercontinental Championship the most sought-after title in WWE. Much to Becky Lynch’s dismay, the RAW General Manager could announce a tournament to determine the number one contender to Lynch’s title.

To raise the stakes further, Pearce could open the field for stars from SmackDown and NXT as well. This may be done to find the most suitable challenger for Big Time Becks’ title, something she may not appreciate.

Lynch has arguably made Pearce’s job as the RAW General Manager harder, and he could now get his payback over the Women’s Intercontinental Champion by booking her to face the toughest challenger on the roster.