UFC Fight Night: Burns vs Malott Picks, Predictions and Odds April 18, 2026

UFC Fight Night Betting Preview

UFC Fight Night picks and predictions come from WagerTalk UFC handicapper Andy Lang for April 18, 2026 with the main event headlined by Gilbert Burns vs Mike Malott in a welterweight fight. The main card starts up at 8:00pm ET from the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Canada.

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Gilbert Burns vs Mike Malott: UFC Fight Night Main Event

Saturday, April 18	UFC Fight Night Betting Notes (Courtesy of Caesars)
Moneyline:	Gilbert Burns +245 vs Mike Malott -305
Rounds:	2.5 (Over +100 / Under -130)
Fight Time:	Main Card Starts at 8:00pm ET / 5:00pm PT
Arena:	Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, Canada
TV:	Paramount+

UFC Fight Night Undercard Predictions

Jamie Siraj -264 vs John Yannis +217 

Bad matchup for Yannis. He’s been submitted in his last two losses, while Siraj has submitted his last two opponents. Siraj’s striking is serviceable, but he won’t stay on the feet long. 

Takedowns and submissions should be there. Yannis has KO power, so I like fight not to go the distance, but Siraj likely wins on the ground. 

John Castaneda -113 vs Mark Vologdin +108 

Fight goes the distance is the play. Vologdin is only 25 with a wrestling and karate background, but he struggled on Contender Series and is undersized.

Castaneda has more experience, but his last four fights have gone the distance and he lacks finishing upside. He’s the pick to win, but decision is most likely. 

Allan Nascimento -186 vs Mitch Raposo +178 

Nascimento all day. His ground control and submission game are far superior. Raposo doesn’t throw much volume and lacks KO power, and likely won’t stop the takedowns.

Nascimento’s only UFC loss was a close split, while Raposo benefited from a sloppy fight last time.  Nascimento sticks to his game plan and dominates on the ground. 

Jamey-Lyn Horth -156 vs JJ Aldrich +144 

Simple analysis — Horth is better everywhere. She has length, improved striking, and finishing ability, including a KO win in her last fight.

She can also clinch and wrestle if needed. Aldrich beats lower-level fighters but loses to better competition. Horth is the pick. 

Daria Zhelezniakova +144 vs Melissa Croden -150 

Croden won her debut with grappling against a weak opponent but got dominated on the ground last fight. Daria prefers striking and should have the edge on the feet.

If she can avoid clinch situations and stuff takedowns, she should win. I’ll take Daria as the underdog. 

Gokhan Saricam -168 vs Tanner Boser +134 

Sprinkle on Boser. He struggled in the UFC but looked good in his return fight after time off, showing solid cardio and striking.

Saricam is low-volume and has been beating weak competition. He shouldn’t be this big of a favorite. If Boser is refreshed, he can absolutely win. 

Julien Leblanc +114 vs Robert Valentin -143 

Valentin is the pick — it’s now or never. He looked good on TUF but is 0-3 in the UFC. His  losses came to grappling and power.

Leblanc hasn’t faced strong competition and has struggled against lower-level opponents. Valentin should be the better fighter here. 

Gauge Young -117 v Thiago Moises +113 

Young has struggled when stepping up in competition and didn’t look clean in his last win. Moises looked awful last fight, but could rebound.

He still has power, grappling, and dangerous  leg kicks. At 31, the experience edge matters. I’ll take Moises to bounce back. 

Jai Herbert +163 vs Mandel Nallo -170 

Buying into Nallo here. He’s won five straight by first-round finish and has strong kicks with real upside. Herbert continues to disappoint — he’s long and athletic but doesn’t put it together and  gets outworked. Nallo is the pick. 

Charles Jourdain -133 vs Kyler Phillips +127 

Tough fight. Jourdain has submission upside, while Phillips prefers to strike. Phillips has cardio issues and fades badly in round three, which has cost him recently. This likely comes down to who manages pace better. 

Dennis Buzukja +330 vs Marcio Barbosa -405 

Barbosa by finish. He’s powerful, experienced, and has four straight first-round finishes. Buzukja  struggles defensively and can’t stop takedowns. Barbosa is too aggressive and dangerous. 

Jasmine Jasudavicius -341 vs Karine Silva +279 

Tried to find a case for Silva, but it’s not there. Jasmine should be able to wrestle and control thi  fight. Silva was taken down repeatedly last fight and won off bottom strikes, but that won’t work  here. Jasmine by decision.

UFC Fight Night Main Event: Gilbert Burns +245 vs Mike Malott -305

I love the dog here with Burns. He’s lost to elite competition only, while Malott hasn’t faced that level. Burns was competitive with top-tier fighters and should be able to pressure and wrestle here. Malott’s gas tank is a concern. This is a step down in class for Burns — great value at plus money.

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