Mike Malott’s UFC return booked for July 13th against Gilbert Urbina

UFC welterweight prospect Mike Malott will look to avenge his first career loss against a former The Ultimate Fighter finalist.

According to reports, Malott will face TUF 29 standout Gilbert Urbina on July 13th at a to-be-announced location and venue. News of the Malott vs. Urbina fight was first reported by Sportsnet.

Malott returns after suffering a third-round TKO loss to Neil Magny at UFC 297 earlier this year. Before that, he had won his first three UFC fights, including submissions of Adam Fugitt and Yohan Lainesse.

Malott won his UFC debut by knocking out Mickey Gall at UFC 273. He earned a shot in the promotion via Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021.

Mike Malott vs. Gilbert Urbina added to July 13th UFC card

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1783224481256731086

Malott is one of the top fighters out of Canada to surface in recent years. Before the loss to Magny, Malott seemed destined for welterweight title contention after a series of impressive wins.

Malott will face a tough task in Urbina, who is also looking to get back on track after a recent defeat. He’s fighting for potentially his UFC roster spot after losses in two of his three career UFC appearances.

Urbina hasn’t fought since a first-round knockout loss to Charles Radtke in February. This after he earned his first UFC win by TKO against Orion Cosce in May 2023.

Urbina took a short-notice fight against Bryan Battle for the TUF 29 middleweight championship. He filled for the injured Tresean Gore, losing by second-round submission via rear-naked choke.

The Malott vs. Urbina winner will move a step closer to a potential spot in the welterweight Top 15 as 2025 approaches. Both fighters will look to get back on track after suffering recent setbacks.

The July 13th UFC Fight Night event venue and location have yet to be announced. The main event is expected to be booked in the coming weeks.