EDMONTON — Jeff Malott scrapped with the Calgary Flames’ Adam Klapka on Tuesday, and his brother Mike says he knew why. “I knew you fought this week to fire me up,” Mike Malott said after Saturday’s UFC main event, according to CBS Sports. Jeff, an Anaheim Ducks player, watched the fight remotely with his teammates.
Malott, a UFC welterweight, had just knocked out Joaquin Buckley with a knee at 2:32 of the second round at Rogers Place. UFC.com’s results report said the knee caught Buckley’s chin clean after he dipped in to throw. Yahoo Sports reported that Buckley’s mouthpiece flew out and that referee Marc Goddard stopped it after one more punch.
The result sends two careers in opposite directions. Malott is 15-2-1 and has won five straight, Yahoo Sports reported; Buckley, 21-9, has lost three in a row, including decisions to Kamaru Usman and Sean Brady. CBS Sports said Malott will likely assume Buckley’s No. 10 spot, though Yahoo Sports listed Malott at No. 13 going in, and UFC.com’s writer said he should be in the top 10 when the rankings update next week. The move up is still a projection.
The first round had given little warning. UFC.com called it a tense, low-output round in which both men landed a handful of shots. Malott said he wanted a top-10 opponent “at the very least, maybe top five next,” Yahoo Sports reported.
UFC on Paramount+ posted about the finish.
CBS Sports called it a “KO of the Year contender” in its headline. UFC.com counted 12 of the 13 bouts ending without the judges, and said the first 11 all finished inside the distance, tying the record for consecutive stoppages to start a card. The lone decision was Jasmine Jasudavicius over Erin Blanchfield, 29-28 on all three cards, in the co-main event.
UFC posted its Octagon interview with Malott online.
None of the reports TEH read says who Malott fights next. Buckley, who snubbed Dana White’s offer of a handshake at Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins, was not quoted after the loss in the Yahoo Sports report.
