Over the years, the UFC has gained massive popularity in Canada. While several Canadian fighters have contributed to the promotion’s success, everyone agrees that Georges St-Pierre remains the country’s most iconic name. And that statement rings even truer when you realize no one has ever matched the level of stardom ‘Rush’ achieved. But ahead of UFC Vancouver, Mike Malott is finally getting recognized as a potential candidate to carry ‘GSP’ like influence in Canada. 

On October 18th, ‘Proper’ makes his highly anticipated return against Kevin Holland in the UFC Vancouver co-main event. It’s a big jump in competition, giving Malott the chance to finally break into the rankings. And while the road ahead will only get tougher, former two-division champ Henry Cejudo believes the Canadian could truly make a real impact in his home country. Just like the national MMA icon, Georges St-Pierre. 

Henry Cejudo believes Mike Malott will follow Georges St-Pierre’s path  

In the Pound4Pound podcast, ‘Triple C’ said, “Let’s talk about the co-main event too, bro. I’ll tell you, man, if you sleep on Michael Malott, bro! Michael Malott is really, really talented, bro. That’s one dude I really felt that could’ve really made… that could’ve really picked up the sport of mixed martial arts in Canada up, to where GSP had left it. You know, this dude is really good, super crafty, very likable.  I mean, you’re talking about a guy who doesn’t have to be at the hill. But that’s Mike Malott.”   

Malott had a tremendous amount of hype behind him when he first entered the UFC. Although that buzz dipped after the Canadian contender’s loss to Neil Magny at UFC 297, he bounced back strong with two consecutive wins. That run showed that ‘Proper’ has the grit and mindset to become one of Canada’s most celebrated fighters. However, matching GSP’s level of greatness with 10 title defenses might be a tough task. Still, Malott has the potential to carve out his own legacy.

Before that, however, he needs to get past Kevin Holland at the UFC Vancouver co-main event, which is a matchup that, according to Henry Cejudo, isn’t getting the attention it deserves. The former two-division champ said, “And you know, obviously Kevin Holland fights every other PPV, so I’m not surprised that we’re on this. But aah… s—t, this is crazy, man! This fight is definitely flying under the radar in my opinion.”   

The former two-division champ made a solid observation here. Honestly, the hype surrounding Malott’s return against a strong opponent like feels a bit down. Still, when both step into the Octagon this weekend, the Vancouver crowd is expected to erupt for each fighter. And while ‘Proper’ will undoubtedly draw massive cheers, Jasmine Jasudavicius won’t be far behind in fan support. Especially with Kamaru Usman backing her as a potential next title contender.  

Kamaru Usman backs Jasmine Jasudavicius for a potential flyweight title shot  

At UFC Vancouver, Mike Malott might be the star home-crowd draw, but Jasmine Jasudavicius could easily match him. The reason? Riding a five-fight winning streak, the Canadian flyweight could be next in line for a title shot if she beats former flyweight title challenger Manon Fiorot on the main card. And Kamaru Usman believes she has what it takes to pull off the victory. 

Continuing the discussion at Pound4Pound podcast, ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ said, “I agree with you, Henry, and don’t forget Manon Fiorot, taking on Jasmine Jasudavicius, this is a damn good fight. Because Manon just fought for the title. And if Jasudavicius which she’s been on a tear, just basically dominating girls, and if she’s able to go out there and do that to Manon? I think Jasmine Jasudavicius is next in line for the title shot in that division. If Valentina is able to get past Zhang Weili.”  

Well, in Jasmine’s winning streak, she has scored wins over names like former title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva and ex-champ Jessica Andrade. So, if the Canadian 125er secures the win this weekend, she would make a strong case to fight the winner of UFC 322. However, the Erin Blanchfield vs. Tracy Cortez matchup is also taking place at Madison Square Garden, and the winner of that fight might even call out Shevchenko or Weili. So, the situation is a little complex.

That said, with UFC Vancouver ready to roll, how do you think the Canadian fighters will perform at the event? Will they impress, or is a massive setback awaiting? Let us know in the comments section below.