Inside Rogers Arena, Canadian welterweight Mike Malott faced Kevin Holland in a co-main event at UFC Vancouver that had every fan on their feet. By the time the judges read out the scorecards, 29-28 across the board, it wasn’t just a win. It was vindication. Malott had conquered a seasoned name in Holland and kept his climb in the UFC’s welterweight division alive.

Yet, when the lights dimmed and microphones were placed in front of him, Malott didn’t talk about rankings or future opponents. While UFC boss Dana White has been teasing the “greatest fight card ever assembled” on the White House lawn for June 2026, marking America’s 250th anniversary, Malott’s heart seemingly lies elsewhere!

Mike Malott chooses Canada over the White House after UFC Vancouver win

At the UFC Vancouver post-fight press conference, when asked if he wanted to fight in Canada for his next fight, Mike Malott didn’t hesitate. “Yes,” he said with a grin before the reporter could even finish the question. “Yeah, dude, would I rather be a co-main event in Canada or just a dude on some American show? Yeah, way rather be co-main in Canada!”

He further explained, “I come out and get a reception, the fans are all stoked, I’m well aware I don’t hold the same… as far as fan receptions, gonna be completely different fighting in another country, I’d much rather fight in Canada.” But for the Canadian welterweight, it’s more than just geography or the crowd, community.

Malott even compared fight week to summer camp, stating at the post-fight press conference, “You only get so many of these in life and each one of these feels like such a big celebration for the Canadian fans, or Canadian Fighters like, it’s almost like being a kid and going back to camp and seeing the guys from last year. Like Marc-Andre Barriault is here, like what’s up bro, Charles Jourdain, let’s go guys! We get to go through this stuff together and yeah man, I love it. I’ll fight where the UFC tells me to fight but I will always prefer to fight in Canada.”

Then came the question that summed it all up: Would you pick Saskatoon over the White House? His answer was immediate, “Yeah dude!”  The UFC CEO has promised a historic card for June 2026, celebrating both the United States’ 250th anniversary and President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday with names like Jon Jones, Conor McGregor, and even Ilia Topuria angling for a place on the event. Yet amid all that noise, Mike Malott stands apart.

It was an honest confession from a fighter who knows his worth. ‘Proper’ may not yet have the global star power to feature on an event on the White House lawn, but in Canada, he’s already a fan favorite. However, his win over Kevin Holland has also come under a shadow of controversy!

Foul controversy mars Malott’s win over Kevin Holland

What should’ve been Mike Malott’s breakout performance in front of a roaring home crowd turned into something far messier. The co-main event of UFC Vancouver was chaos wrapped in confusion. The opening round began with high-paced scrambles and flashes of brilliance. But within minutes, the tone changed. Mike Malott accidentally landed a low blow that sent Holland crumbling to the mat.

The first strike drew a warning. The second, a brutal, echoing groin shot against the cage, brought the fight to a standstill. Holland writhed in agony as the crowd fell silent. Referee Dan Miragliotta gave him five minutes to recover, but no point was deducted from Malott. Here’s where things got messy. When Miragliotta asked Holland if he could continue, there wasn’t a clear answer. Before Round 2, a ringside doctor stepped in for an assessment. Again, Holland gave no definitive response. Even so, the fight continued.

By the final horn, Holland had fought on pure grit. Yet, he was a shadow of himself, slower, less reactive, and clearly compromised. Malott, sensing the advantage, controlled the exchanges and did just enough to edge out a unanimous decision victory (29-28 on all scorecards). The win marked Malott’s third straight since his loss to Neil Magny, pushing his record to 6-1 in the UFC.

As such, the win over Kevin Holland added another notch to his growing resume, but it was his post-fight confession that revealed the man behind the gloves. In a sport obsessed with global stardom, Mike Malott’s loyalty to his roots was refreshingly human. While Dana White dreams of a once-in-a-lifetime card at the White House featuring the sport’s biggest names, ‘Proper’ dreams of packed Canadian arenas echoing with familiar cheers!