A couple of good ol’ Canadian boys have some big assignments ahead at UFC Vancouver.
On Tuesday, in addition to announcing the card’s main event, promotion officials revealed two additional bookings (while confirming the previously reported Manon Fiorot vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius match-up): in one, welterweight Mike Malott (12-2-1) will face off with the #15-ranked Kevin Holland (28-14, 1NC). And in the second, Aiemann Zahabi (13-2), the Montrealer currently sitting at #10 in the bantamweight division, will face off with former title challenger and #7-ranked Marlon “Chito” Vera (23-10-1).
UFC Vancouver takes place October 18, 2025 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Malott, Zahabi, and Jasudavicius, alongside Marc-Andre Barriault and Charles Jourdain, have become the face of MMA in Canada. With Malott looking to crack the rankings, and both Zahabi and Jasudavicius already in the top 10, their inclusion on the Vancouver card was almost a given.
Malott is coming off a win over Charles “Chuck Buffalo” Radtke at UFC 315 in Montreal, knocking out Radtke in the night’s featured prelim. On the main card that same night, Zahabi earned a decision win over ex-featherweight champ and Hall of Fame member Jose Aldo.
Those success stories have landed the pair more high profile opponents moving forward. While Holland is coming off a loss, he remains ranked at 170lbs, affording Malott an opportunity to jump into the top 15. He also remains one of the most recognizable names in the weight class.
As for Vera, he’s lost two straight, though it’s worth noting those losses came against former champ Deiveson Figueiredo, and in his title shot against Sean O’Malley at UFC 299.
