Early career
Mike Malott started training at House of Champions in Stoney Creek, Ontario with Kru Alin Halmagean when he was 17 years old. [5]
Malott went to post-secondary education at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia and trained at Titans MMA while on the east coast. [6] During his time at university Malott took his first professional MMA fight at ECC 12: Rage against James Saunders winning by submission in the first round. [3]
After winning his first four professional fights, Malott suffered his first loss against Hakeem Dawodu in 2014 and his following match-up went to a majority draw against Ousmane Thomas Diagne in 2015. [5] Malott took his next bout in 2017 against Craig Shintani for the vacant XFFC Lightweight Championship. He won the bout via knockout in 36 seconds. [7]
Malott took an extended hiatus from competing in mixed martial arts at the end of 2017. [6] Instead, he focused on his grappling skills competing in many BJJ super fights and earning his black belt. [8] [9] [10] At this time he also began coaching striking at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California. [11] During his time there he cornered many UFC fighters including Urijah Faber and Cody Garbrandt. [6]
After a three-year hiatus, Malott returned to MMA in December 2020 for Cage Fury 91 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States. He won the bout against Solomon Renfro in the first round. [11]
After his win over Renfro, Malott earned a spot on season 5 of Dana White's Contender Series and was scheduled against Shimon Smotritsky. [11] Malott beat Smotritsky with a guillotine choke submission in the first round and was awarded a UFC contract by Dana White. [12]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Malott's promotional debut came against Mickey Gall on April 9, 2022, at UFC 273. Malott won the fight via technical knockout in the first round. [13]
Malott next faced fellow Canadian Yohan Lainesse on February 25, 2023 at UFC Fight Night: Muniz vs. Allen. He won the fight via submission by arm-triangle choke in the first round. [10] The win earned Malott his first Performance of the Night bonus award. [14]
Malott faced Adam Fugitt on June 10, 2023 at UFC 289 in Vancouver, British Columbia. [15] He won the bout via submission in the second round, knocking Fugitt down and submitting him with a guillotine choke. [16] The win also earned Malott his second Performance of the Night bonus award. [17]
Malott faced Neil Magny on January 20, 2024, at UFC 297. [18] After dominating Magny on the ground and landing leg kicks throughout the majority of the fight, Malott lost the fight via technical knockout in round three. [19]
Malott was scheduled to face Gilbert Urbina on July 13, 2024, at UFC on ESPN 59. [20] However, Urbina withdrew from the bout due to undisclosed reasons and Malott decided not to fight another opponent as a result of an injury sustained during training, so the bout was scrapped. [21]
Malott faced Trevin Giles on November 2, 2024 at UFC Fight Night 246. [22] He won the fight by unanimous decision. [23]
Malott faced Charlie Radtke on May 10, 2025 at UFC 315. [24] He won the fight by knockout in the second round. [25]
Malott faced Kevin Holland on October 18, 2025 at UFC Fight Night 262. [26] Despite delivering two inadvertent groin strikes to Holland in the first round, which resulted in a full five-minute timeout, Malott went on to win the bout via unanimous decision. [27]
