A UFC debut for the ages is sending shockwaves across the Canadian mixed martial arts community.
Hamilton-born fighter Mike Malott picked up an exhilarating first round finish at ‘UFC 273’.
“I took my time walking into the cage, like in no rush, I’m singing along with a sum forty one song and I’m just holding the (Canadian) flag up on the way in,” said the 30-year-old after making his UFC debut on Saturday night.
On the other hand, his brother Jeff was on the ice in Chicago playing for the Manitoba Moose.
The team’s leading scorer was finishing off a three game road trip during his older brother’s debut.
“Are we going to check it after warm ups, are we going to check between periods?” Jeff chuckled.
“As a group, we were like, I think it would be a lot cooler if everybody waits, nobody checks their phones.”
And the suspense paid off. Just under four minutes in to the first round against UFC veteran Mickey Gall, Malott picked up a TKO victory.
“We all got some pretty genuine reactions,” said Jeff.
“That was a pretty good adrenaline dump right after the game. It kind of felt like I could have gone out and played three more periods.”
Manitoba’s leading point-getter this season has been having a career year and it’s not going unnoticed.
“Seems like every game I turn on or every time I go on twitter, Jeff just got a goal or an assist. Jeff just got in a fight. So I love that he’s getting all this attention,” Mike said via Zoom from Jacksonville, Florida on Sunday morning.
As for when the next time Jeff will get to watch his brother in the octagon, “I’ve heard rumors that they’re coming to Canada, potentially in the fall,” said the UFC welterweight.
“If they’re coming to Canada, I want to be on that card.”