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Canadian standout Mike Malott sent the home crowd into a frenzy at UFC Edmonton, scoring a sensational knockout victory over Joaquin Buckley in the night's main event.
Following an evenly matched opening round where both fighters showed patience and mutual respect for each other's firepower, the intensity ramped up early in the second. Buckley charged forward with sharp boxing combinations, but Malott reacted quickly, pressing him against the fence in a grueling clinch.
On the break, the Canadian unleashed a devastating knee flush to Buckley's jaw. The thunderous blow sent the American's mouthguard flying and dropped him cold to the canvas, ending the fight on the spot.
With this statement win, "Proper Mike" stretched his winning streak to five, with three of those victories coming inside the distance. For Buckley, the defeat marks his third consecutive loss and his first knockout setback in nearly four years.
In his post-fight interview with Paul Felder, the Canadian pointed out that while he may not be the loudest voice at press conferences, he certainly commands attention inside the Octagon:
"I might speak softly, but I hit ridiculously hard."
Looking ahead, Malott reiterated his preference not to call out specific names, though he has his eyes firmly set on the division's elite:
"I see plenty of dangerous contenders in the top ten. I'm aiming for the top 10 at minimum, and why not the top five?"
Other Main Card Results:
Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Erin Blanchfield via Unanimous Decision
Christian Perez def. Kyle Nelson via KO, Round 1
Marc-Andre Barriault def. Kyle Daukaus via TKO, Round 1
Timmy Cuamba def. Louis Jourdain via Submission, Round 2
Mandel Nallo def. Nate Landwehr via TKO, Round 2
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