The UFC has officially announced its return to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, with a welterweight main event pitting Gilbert Burns against Mike Malott.
The event, a UFC Fight Night card in Winnipeg, takes place on Saturday, April 18 from the Canada Life Centre. The announcement marks the promotion's first visit to Manitoba since December 2017, when the UFC last held an event in the Canadian province.
The scoop was first reported by veteran MMA reporter Adam Martin yesterday, and confirmed this afternoon.
Burns (22-9 MMA, 15-9 UFC) is currently on the longest losing skid of his career at four straight defeats. The 39-year-old former title challenger was most recently stopped by Michael Morales in the first round at UFC Vegas 106 in May 2025. Despite the rough stretch, all four of Burns' losses have come against ranked opposition in Morales, Sean Brady, Jack Della Maddalena, and Belal Muhammad. "Durinho" hasn't tasted victory since a decision win over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 287 in April 2023.
Malott (13-2-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) enters the bout riding a three-fight winning streak and will be looking to make the most of his first UFC main event opportunity. The Canadian earned a unanimous decision victory over Kevin Holland at a UFC event in Vancouver in October and knocked out Charles Radtke at UFC 315 in May. The 34-year-old earned his UFC contract through Dana White's Contender Series in 2021, and his only Octagon loss came against Neil Magny.
The matchup represents a classic crossroads bout. Burns brings elite experience as a former welterweight title challenger and decorated BJJ world champion, while Malott looks to use a victory over a big name to break into the upper tier of the 170-pound division. Headlining in front of a Canadian crowd adds another layer for Malott, who has thrived in previous outings on home soil.
Additional bouts for the UFC Winnipeg card are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.