4 Fights We Need to See After UFC Fight Night: Malott vs. Burns

There's a new contender in the UFC welterweight division.

On Saturday night, Canada's Mike Malott made a long-expected jump from prospect to top-15 talent, defeating former title challenger Gilbert Burns in the main event of the UFC's return to Winnipeg. The third-round TKO victory on home turf was by far the most important moment of his career to date, and will ensure there is nothing but big fights ahead for him, as long as he keeps winning.

Malott was not the only Canadian to level up in Winnipeg. In the co-main event, Quebecois bantamweight Charles Jourdain picked up a hard-fought decision win over former top-15 contender Kyler Phillips. It was his third straight win in the division since he moved down from featherweight, and it should set him up for a fight with somebody in the rankings.

Here's what we'd like to see next for Malott and Jourdain, as well as two other fights that should be made after Saturday's card in Winnipeg.

Mike Malott vs. Colby Covington

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Mike Malott's 2024 stoppage loss to Neil Magny was a major blow to his reputation as a burgeoning welterweight contender.

You've got to give the guy credit for the way he responded to that setback.

Since losing to Magny, Malott is 4-0. That streak is highlighted by his Saturday win over Burns and a 2025 decision win over Kevin Holland. It's still a little difficult to imagine him beating the cream of the crop at welterweight — guys like Islam Makhachev, Michael Morales, and Carlos Prates — but he's wholly deserving of a spot in the rankings.

When weighing the options for Malott's next fight, it's tempting to suggest a clash with Serbia's Uros Medic, who recently debuted in the rankings himself, thanks to a knockout win over Geoff Neal. Medic is almost certain to headline the UFC's upcoming stop in Serbia, and after multiple fights on home soil in Canada, Malott is definitely due for a trip overseas. It makes sense in a lot of ways.

The problem with the idea, though, is that it would kill off an exciting contender, no matter the outcome. As such, it makes sense to continue to match both guys up with more established opposition. If they keep winning, they can fight somewhere down the road, with much higher stakes.

With that decided, the best choice for Malott right now is probably Colby Covington. Covington, known for his filterless trash talk, remains one of the biggest names in the welterweight division. However, he hasn't fought since a 2024 stoppage loss to Joaquin Buckley, which brought him to 2-3 in his last five fights. He might not love the idea of taking on a soft spoken newcomer like Malott, but he's in no position to call his shots, and is due to justify his increasingly dubious spot in the rankings.

Charles Jourdain vs. Raul Rosas Jr.

Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

After an exciting decision win over an experienced bantamweight veteran in Kyler Phillips in Winnipeg, Charles Jourdain can probably expect a fight with a top-15 opponent next. Granted, there are a couple of other rising contenders awaiting that opportunity, too, but not many are as exciting or as outspoken as he is.

If it's indeed a ranked opponent next for Jourdain, our pick would be No. 13: Raul Rosas Jr.

Rosas recently debuted in the rankings himself with a decision win over longtime contender Rob Font. However, the fight itself was quite tedious and likely didn't make anybody in the top 5, or even the top 10, even remotely nervous.

While Rosas' high-level wrestling could turn out to be a serious problem for Jourdain, the Canadian's jiu jitsu — namely his guillotine — and his constant offense in all phases of the sport would make for a solid counterattack. It's a fascinating matchup between two guys who probably belong in the top-15, but have yet to make themselves undeniable.

Jai Herbert vs. Drew Dober

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British lightweight Jai Herbert might not be the most consistent fighter in the UFC, but he did a lot to justify his place on the roster in Winnipeg when he weathered an early onslaught to knock out Canadian newcomer Mandel Nallo.

Herbert's win over Nallo separated him from a loss to Chris Padilla, and brought him to 3-3 with one draw. It's easy to matchmake for a fighter with this kind of messy record. His experience makes him a solid test for new talent — like Nallo, who could not rise to the occasion. Yet he's also a great opponent for other older members of the UFC roster, most of whom have similar difficulty putting together long win streaks.

Of the countless options available for Herbert's next opponent, our pick is Drew Dober.

Dober, known for his all-action fighting style, has definitely been competing at a higher level than Herbert overall. That being said, he's been just as inconsistent, ricocheting between thrilling wins and devastating losses in recent years.

You could argue Dober is due for a slightly bigger fight than Herbert, but he's had plenty of chances against elite opposition in the past. A fight with Herbert looks really exciting on paper, and if either man can make a real statement on the night, they'd have a strong case for a real step up in competition.

Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Rose Namajunas

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Canadian flyweight Jasmine Jasudavicius was on a really nice streak for a minute there, with five straight wins, including defeats of former title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva and former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade. Then it all came crashing down with a first-round stoppage loss to Manon Fiorot late last year.

In Winnipeg, Jasudavicius got back on track with a hard-fought decision win over Karine Silva. The win definitely didn't do much to assert the Canadian as a serious contender in her division — especially not with the legendary Valentina Shevchenko on the throne. However, it did justify her No. 7 ranking and should set her up for another high-stakes fight.

A matchup with former strawweight champ Rose Namajunas seems like the move. Namajunas is definitely a much bigger name, but she has been struggling with consistency at flyweight, and after a loss to Natalia Silva in her last fight, she is in no position to deny a fight with somebody like Jasudavicius. Plus, they're both of Lithuanian heritage — that's kind of cool!