Mike Malott not focused on becoming the face of Canadian MMA ahead of UFC Edmonton return: “I’m doing this for me”

UFC welterweight contender Mike Malott is focused on himself ahead of his return to the cage.

‘Proper’ hasn’t been seen in the octagon since his clash against Neil Magny in January at UFC 297. For Mike Malott, the fight was the biggest test of his promotional tenure. He entered the cage with a flawless 3-0 record inside the octagon, all victories coming by way of finish. For two rounds, it appeared that Malott would keep his undefeated record intact.

However, ‘The Haitian Sensation’ came roaring back in round three. With just seconds left in the contest, Neil Magny scored a stoppage victory over an exhausted Mike Malott. For the Canadian, the defeat was a brutal one. As one of the stars of UFC 297, suffering a stoppage loss in front of his countrymen was tough to deal with.

Almost ten months removed from that night, Mike Malott is set to go again. On Saturday night at UFC Edmonton, the welterweight contender will face longtime veteran Trevin Giles. For his part, ‘The Problem’ is entering the cage on a two-fight skid, last suffering a knockout defeat to Carlos Prates in February.

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Mike Malott opens up on first promotional loss ahead of UFC Edmonton return

Speaking in a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Mike Malott discussed his UFC return. There, the welterweight contender admitted that he felt a lot of pressure heading into his January bout, and he struggled with that. This time around, he’s not focused on representing Canada, or anyone else. Instead, he’s focused on himself.

“I think, I maybe put a little bit too much pressure on myself for the last one.” Mike Malott stated in the interview. “Or, I felt the weight of being like I had to be the guy. I love Canada, and I still want to be the guy that fights in Canada every card, I would much rather fight in Canada than anywhere else. But I think it’s more like a personal choice, and where you want to put your energy. I’ve kind of made this journey a little bit more selfish again, than I did heading into January where I felt like the torchbearer and I had to wear the [Canadian] hat a little bit.”

He continued, “Now, I’m like, I feel like I’m doing this more for me and self-validation. Rather than doing it for other people. It was the only fight where I’ve felt like I was doing it for other people, and the only fight I’ve gone out there and felt like I had to force a finish… I’ve kind of gotten back to being more a little bit more selfish in the way I view my career and my role in the UFC and Canadian MMA. The rest will take care of itself.”

What do you make of these comments from the UFC welterweight? Do you think Mike Malott can become the face of Canadian MMA?