UFC Edmonton Recap & Video Highlights – Dana White Speaks About Buckley No Handshake
By Real Combat Media MMA Editorial Staff
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, (October 17th, 2026)–Mike Malott knocked out Joaquin Buckley with a perfectly timed knee at 2:32 of the second round in the main event of UFC Fight Night 291 at Rogers Place, giving the home-country crowd the finish it came for. The knockout came one night after Buckley ignored handshake offers from both Malott and UFC CEO Dana White at the ceremonial weigh-ins, and White joked about it at the post-fight press conference. Malott (15-2-1) has now won five straight, Buckley (21-9) has dropped three in a row, and Jasmine Jasudavicius took a unanimous decision over Erin Blanchfield in the co-main event. The card produced 12 finishes in 13 bouts.
Main Event Breakdown: Mike Malott vs. Joaquin Buckley
Malott and Buckley kept things measured through a tepid first round. Malott worked body kicks, a one-two and inside leg kicks, while Buckley waved him forward, landed an inside leg kick of his own and caught the Canadian with a right hook that knocked him off balance. The second round brought more urgency. Buckley pressed forward behind punches and clinched, but Malott turned him into the fence and landed repeated knees to the body. After they separated, Buckley stepped in with an inside leg kick and Malott met him with a perfectly timed knee that sent his mouthpiece flying and put him on the canvas. A final right hand sealed the stoppage.
Malott came in on a four-fight win streak that included a third-round TKO of Gilbert Burns in Winnipeg in April, and this was his second UFC main event. Buckley, who had dropped decisions to Kamaru Usman and Sean Brady after a six-fight winning streak, now has three straight losses. He addressed the defeat in a video after the fight, saying it did not go his way and that he plans to get back to work.
Dana White Addresses Buckley’s Handshake Snub
The talking point of fight week came at Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins, when Buckley declined handshakes from both Malott and White during the final faceoff, then stood silent through a scheduled interview with UFC correspondent McKenzie Pavacich. Buckley had also publicly questioned why he never received a title shot during his run in 2024.
White was asked about the snub at the post-fight press conference and shrugged it off. He said every fighter deals with fight week differently, that everyone gets pretty nasty close to the weigh-ins, and that how a fighter handles it is his own business. Asked whether it bothered him, White deadpanned, “As soon as he lost, I told Hunter, ‘Cut him,'” before making it clear he was joking and that he has no problem with Buckley. White also addressed Farid Basharat’s release during the same press conference.
Co-Main Event Breakdown: Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Erin Blanchfield
Jasudavicius (16-4) won a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) over Blanchfield (14-3) in front of her home crowd. The Canadian took Blanchfield down in the first two rounds, took her back, set body triangles and hunted face cranks and arm-triangles. Blanchfield found her range with right hands in the third round and landed in volume as a hematoma swelled on Jasudavicius’ forehead, but Jasudavicius changed levels late, scored with knees to the legs and held position to drain the clock. She called for a title fight against Natalia Silva after the win.
Main Card Highlights
Cristian Perez def. Kyle Nelson: Perez made his UFC debut a memorable one, overwhelming Nelson with punches, a knee, a left hook and hammerfists for the knockout at 0:27 of the first round.
Marc-Andre Barriault def. Kyle Daukaus: Daukaus controlled the opening minutes from mount and the back, but Barriault escaped, landed a pair of knees and finished from top position with elbows at 4:28 of the first round.
Timothy Cuamba def. Louis Jourdain: Cuamba took Jourdain down repeatedly in round one, then took his back in the second and finished with a neck crank at 2:48. Jourdain was making his UFC debut.
Mandel Nallo def. Nate Landwehr: Nallo used his reach and a steady diet of jabs, low kicks and a spinning back kick to cut up Landwehr in round one, then dropped him with a low kick and finished with punches at 0:47 of the second round.
Undercard Highlights
Tanner Boser def. Jhonata Diniz: Edmonton’s own Boser took Diniz down in all three rounds and ground out the TKO with punches at 4:26 of the third.
Nick Galanti def. Julien Leblanc: In his UFC debut, Galanti took Leblanc down inside the first 15 seconds, took his back and forced the tap with a face crank at 1:26 of round one.
Joel Faglier def. Javad Mahjoub: Both heavyweights made their UFC debuts. Mahjoub knocked Faglier down twice and swept round one, but he faded badly, and Faglier turned it around with body work and finished with hammerfists at 2:11 of round two.
Katlyn Cerminara def. Mackenzie Stiller: Cerminara stuffed a takedown attempt and punched Stiller out at 4:46 of round one for her first finish in more than a decade.
Steven Koslow def. Chad Anheliger: Back in the UFC for the first time since 2022, Koslow out-wrestled Anheliger for three rounds and locked up a rear-naked choke at 4:31 of the third.
Chelsea Chandler def. Melissa Croden: Chandler rolled into top position off a trip takedown and finished with a kimura at 4:52 of round one.
Su Young You def. Cody Chovancek: You handed Chovancek, who entered 9-0 in his UFC debut, his first career loss, dominating with takedowns, mount and ground and pound before locking in a kimura at 4:19 of round three.
Full Fight Card Results
Main Card
Welterweight: Mike Malott def. Joaquin Buckley by KO (knee and punch), Round 2, 2:32
Women’s Flyweight: Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Erin Blanchfield by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Lightweight: Cristian Perez def. Kyle Nelson by KO (punches), Round 1, 0:27
Middleweight: Marc-Andre Barriault def. Kyle Daukaus by TKO (elbows), Round 1, 4:28
Bantamweight: Timothy Cuamba def. Louis Jourdain by submission (neck crank), Round 2, 2:48
Lightweight: Mandel Nallo def. Nate Landwehr by TKO (leg kick and punches), Round 2, 0:47
Preliminary Card
Heavyweight: Tanner Boser def. Jhonata Diniz by TKO (punches), Round 3, 4:26
Middleweight: Nick Galanti def. Julien Leblanc by submission (face crank), Round 1, 1:26
Heavyweight: Joel Faglier def. Javad Mahjoub by TKO (punches), Round 2, 2:11
Women’s Flyweight: Katlyn Cerminara def. Mackenzie Stiller by TKO (punches), Round 1, 4:46
Bantamweight: Steven Koslow def. Chad Anheliger by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 3, 4:31
Women’s Bantamweight: Chelsea Chandler def. Melissa Croden by submission (kimura), Round 1, 4:52
Bantamweight: Su Young You def. Cody Chovancek by submission (kimura), Round 3, 4:19
Watch
UFC Edmonton Video Highlights: Joaquin Buckley vs. Mike Malott
UFC Edmonton Post-Fight Press Conference
Dana White Reacts to Joaquin Buckley’s Handshake Snub, Malott’s KO and Basharat Release
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