UFC 336 is going to Toronto on January 30, 2027, and if the reported main event holds, Canada gets Islam Makhachev defending the welterweight title against Carlos Prates. That’s about as big as a UFC card gets these days.
As a Montrealer, I have mixed feelings. The UFC used to treat this city as its Canadian home. Now Toronto gets Islam, and we’re left remembering the GSP years.
🎯 Key Takeaways
- UFC 336 is set for Toronto: Saturday, January 30, 2027, at Scotiabank Arena.
- A huge rumored main event: Islam Makhachev vs Carlos Prates for the welterweight title has been reported but not officially announced.
- Mike Malott earned a spot: His knee knockout of Joaquin Buckley in Edmonton pushed him toward the top 10.
- Montreal’s lament: Toronto keeps getting the bigger main events.
Table of Contents
UFC 336: What We Know
It’s official: the UFC is coming back to Toronto. UFC 336 takes place Saturday, January 30, 2027, at Scotiabank Arena.
The main event isn’t official yet. Reporter Alvaro Colmenero reported on October 14 that Makhachev vs. Prates is being targeted for the card, as Sherdog covered. Treat it as a strong rumor until the UFC confirms it.
UFC 336 Quick Facts
Islam Makhachev vs Carlos Prates Is a Real Main Event
It doesn’t get bigger than Islam Makhachev right now. With Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre retired, he’s the best fighter still competing in the UFC, and I’d argue he’s as close to the old legends as anyone on the roster.
Is he always exciting? No. His last fight was a one-sided, grinding win over Ian Machado Garry, which we covered in our Makhachev vs Machado Garry results. My co-hosts expect more of the same against Prates: technical, controlled, and a win for Islam. They said the same about GSP, and nobody in Montreal complained then.
Prates is the dangerous striker from the Fighting Nerds camp. If he keeps it standing, it’s a fight. If Islam gets his hands on him, the challenger probably has a long night. Our early lean, three months out: Makhachev.
Toronto Gets Islam. What Did Montreal Get?
Back when MMA was illegal in Ontario, Montreal was the UFC’s home base in Canada. I always knew that once New York and Ontario legalized it, the big fights would move. Ontario sanctioned MMA in 2010, New York followed in 2016, and that’s exactly what happened.
“Toronto is a much bigger city and it counts more, and I get it. But damn. When you look at the main events they’ve given Montreal and Toronto in the past few years, it’s not GSP and Nick Diaz anymore.”
Dave Simon, Tremendous Sports Talk, October 20, 2026
Look at the recent history. Toronto got Sean Strickland vs. Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297 in January 2024, and now it gets Makhachev. Montreal’s last pay-per-view headliner was Belal Muhammad vs Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315. Good fight. Not the same tier.
📜 Historical Context
Montreal’s Bell Centre hosted some of the biggest nights in UFC history: GSP vs Matt Serra 2 at UFC 83, GSP vs Josh Koscheck at UFC 124, GSP vs Carlos Condit at UFC 154 and GSP vs Nick Diaz at UFC 158. Toronto has its own classics, including GSP vs Jake Shields and Jose Aldo vs Mark Hominick at UFC 129, Jon Jones vs Lyoto Machida at UFC 140, Jones vs Vitor Belfort at UFC 152 and Jones vs Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165.
I remember those Toronto nights well. Jones choked Machida unconscious with a standing guillotine and dropped him. Belfort nearly broke Jones’ arm with an armbar. Those were killer fights. It’ll never be quite as good as those days, brother. But Makhachev on the marquee is as close as this era gets.
Mike Malott Earned His Spot on UFC 336
The Edmonton card on October 17 was rough for Canada overall. Canadian fighters went 5-7. But Mike Malott gave the crowd the moment of the night, finishing Joaquin Buckley with a second-round knee that sent his mouthpiece flying.
As one of my co-hosts put it, that knee wasn’t a fluke. It was planned. Malott was composed and in control against a jacked, experienced welterweight. The win extended his streak to five straight and put him at 8-1 in the UFC, per Yahoo Sports.
Who’s next? Names floated for Toronto include former champion Jack Della Maddalena, and there’s chatter about that exact matchup. Malott vs JDM would be a strong co-main. Malott is 34. Now’s the time. He fought in October; he can go again in January, in front of a Canadian crowd.
Reality Check: Montreal Isn’t Getting It Back
The Reality: The UFC goes where the biggest arena and the biggest gate are, and in Canada that’s Toronto now. Montreal will get cards, but the GSP era isn’t coming back. The best thing local fans can do is get on the road to Toronto on January 30. And yes, tickets will be crazy.
We talk UFC, baseball, and everything else every second Tuesday on Tremendous Sports Talk. For more, see our UFC coverage, and for how Prates got here, look back at our JDM vs Prates UFC Perth picks.
UFC 336 Toronto: Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is UFC 336?
UFC 336 takes place Saturday, January 30, 2027, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.
What is the UFC 336 main event?
Islam Makhachev vs. Carlos Prates for the welterweight title is widely expected to be the main event for UFC 336, but the UFC has not officially announced it.
Is Mike Malott fighting at UFC 336?
Mike Malott is expected on the card after knocking out Joaquin Buckley with a knee in Edmonton. His opponent hasn’t been announced, but Jack Della Maddalena is one name being discussed.
When was the last UFC event in Toronto?
The last UFC pay-per-view in Toronto was UFC 297 in January 2024, headlined by Sean Strickland vs. Dricus du Plessis.
