Five Saturdays of UFC: The Full October Calendar, Who to Watch and Predictions for Each Card

October is an exciting time for the UFC because a major event happens every Saturday. It kicked off on October 3 with a Salt Lake City matchup between Natália Silva and Wang Cong for the vacant women’s flyweight title.

The action continues with UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Duncan in Las Vegas on October 10, UFC Fight Night: Buckley vs. Malott in Edmonton on October 17, UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on October 24, and UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Nolan, once again in Las Vegas, on October 31. The card will feature title matches, up-and-comers, veterans, and many Brazilian fighters. For UFC fans, October is always an exciting time.

October Starts with a Flyweight Title

UFC 332 took place on October 3 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Natália Silva and Wang Cong fought for the vacant women’s flyweight title. Valentina Shevchenko had previously relinquished the title due to injury. Natália Silva had not been defeated once in the UFC and went to the ring with an undefeated UFC record of 8-0 and an impressive winning streak, while Wang was known for a powerful striking style and a four-fight winning streak. Silva had defeated three former world champions: Jessica Andrade, Alexa Grasso, and Rose Namajunas. This made the case for the title shot even stronger. The card also featured Johnny Walker’s heavyweight debut against Mick Parkin.

The stakes were high for Brazilian fans, since Silva had become one of the division’s most promising competitors; winning the title meant being recognized as an excellent opponent for every flyweight fighter. Natália won by unanimous decision, becoming the new UFC women’s flyweight champion. For anyone following UFC betting, Silva’s title win also raises a new question: how the market will view her in her first title defense.

Silva Wins the Vacant Belt

Silva got the result Brazil wanted, winning by unanimous decision. She did enough to win the belt, becoming the fourth champion in UFC women’s flyweight history, following Nicco Montaño, Valentina Shevchenko and Alexa Grasso. 

Unlike her previous win, this bout lasted 25 minutes, and Silva proved she could perform under pressure. This win matters for her future career, as she will face even more pressure as a champion. From this event, the plot continues with the next UFC match on October 10, when Brendan Allen will face off with Christian Leroy Duncan in Las Vegas.

UFC Fight Night on October 10th

The main event at Meta APEX in Las Vegas will pit Allen against Duncan in the middleweight division. For Brazilian fans, notable fights include Matheus Camilo vs. Jai Herbert, Ketlen Souza vs. Loopy Godinez, and Ismael Bonfim vs. Francisco Prado.

Brendan Allen is predicted to win by decision. Brendan has much more UFC experience at this level. Moreover, since the fight has five rounds, that experience may come in handy if Duncan gets going quickly. It would be unfair to call this an easy win, given the threat Duncan poses. 

The fight between Matheus Camilo and Jai Herbert matters because a win could push the Brazilian fighter into a higher-ranking position. With the UFC’s October schedule offering new fights each Saturday, fans can also follow the changing markets through Stake, an official UFC partner.

Allen Duncan Leads the Vegas Return

Allen vs. Duncan matters because, in middleweight, it takes one solid win to shake up the division. With Allen ranked number four and Duncan number ten, their upcoming fight will be ranked. For example, if Allen wins, he’ll remain close to the belt, but if Duncan wins, it will change everything.

In addition, there are plenty of other fights. For instance, Camilo, Souza, and Bonfim are in the mix. So, beyond being a connector between the bigger fights, October 10 will help determine how much depth the story of Brazilian MMA can offer before Silva’s next fight for the belt.

UFC Fight Night at Edmonton

October 17 brings UFC to Rogers Place in Edmonton for Buckley vs. Malott. In this welterweight fight, Buckley, the No. 10-ranked fighter, will take on No. 13-ranked Mike Malott. Both fighters have a chance to move up the rankings, which makes this bout interesting for fans.

Buckley will likely win because of his fast pace and aggressive offense. Buckley sets the tempo and becomes hard to beat. Malott has home-court advantage and won’t let up on the pressure, which could make the fight messy and slow to finish.

Buckley Malott Could Shape the Race

Edmonton also has an important fight in the women’s flyweight category: Erin Blanchfield versus Jasmine Jasudavicius. This fight matters, especially after Silva’s victory. A win for Blanchfield could make her a strong contender in her next title fight.

Brazil also fields a heavyweight, Jhonata Diniz, who will face Tanner Boser. This fight is interesting for understanding the bigger picture of Brazilian heavyweight fighters. Alex Pereira remains in the heavyweight division after his June defeat to Ciryl Gane. Diniz is also one of the Brazilian fighters trying to make a name for himself in this category.

UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi

UFC 333 takes place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Alexander Volkanovski will defend his featherweight title against Movsar Evloev, while Petr Yan will defend his bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili. Two title fights make this Saturday very different from other Vegas Fight Nights.

The contest between Volkanovski and Evloev in October is hard to predict. Volkanovski is an experienced champion, while Evloev is undefeated and relies on pressure and grappling. Volkanovski may win by decision, as five-round championship fights favor experienced fighters who can adapt in later rounds. Even if Evloev struggles, he can still trouble Volkanovski in every round.

Another equally exciting championship match is Yan vs. Dvalishvili. With both fighters having a rivalry and Yan as the champion, this could help him build his championship resume. Yan is likely to win by a decision margin due to his superior boxing skills.

The Halloween Fight Night

The final Saturday of action at Meta APEX in Las Vegas on October 31 will feature Renato Moicano vs. Tom Nolan. Moicano was originally set to fight Brian Ortega at UFC 331, but Ortega withdrew due to injury, and the bout was removed from the card. UFC then announced Tom Nolan as Moicano’s Halloween-night opponent for the October 31 main event.

We can expect Moicano to win via submission. Nolan is developing fast, but Moicano’s grappling experience caught my attention. A win here will keep Moicano a contender for bigger fights. A victory for Nolan would mean much more, as beating a highly ranked veteran would be a huge next step for him.

Brazil also has interest on the card: Carlos Leal will face Randy Brown, while Tainara Lisboa will fight Lucia Szabova. This October could feature several Brazilian fighters with something to prove.

Brazil Has Big Stories

The biggest Brazilian story after Silva is the changing flyweight picture around Alexandre Pantoja. Pantoja lost his title to Joshua Van in December 2025, then lost to him again in September 2026 when he tried to reclaim it by unanimous decision, with official scores of 49-46, 48-47, and 50-45. Manel Kape then moved into the top contender spot in the UFC Meta Rankings, while Pantoja fell from number 1. Demetrious Johnson also publicly urged the former champion to consider retirement because of his age, past fights, and the number of top names he has already beaten.

Patricio Pitbull gives more depth to the Brazil storyline. He stopped Dooho Choi by first-round knockout at UFC 331, finishing the fight at 3:28. Charles Oliveira holds the symbolic BMF title after beating Max Holloway in March, and the UFC has a December fight lined up for him against Diego Lopes at UFC 335. Brazil therefore has important names across the lighter divisions, plus Pereira in the heavyweight picture.

Pantoja Faces a New Career Question

Pantoja’s situation shows how quickly a UFC career can turn. He went from champion with four successful defenses to losing twice to the same younger champion, Joshua Van. The first meeting ended early because of an arm injury; the second went five rounds and gave Van a clear decision win. Pantoja is still active in the UFC, so it’s too soon to call his career finished.

His submissions can still trouble elite opponents, but the flyweight division is young and moving quickly. If Pantoja continues, the UFC must decide whether he is rebuilding for another title run or becoming a test for younger contenders. October matters even if he doesn’t fight, because Silva holds the women’s flyweight belt while Van remains the men’s champion.

Brazil Dates Need Fresh Confirmation

Brazilian UFC fans also have a bigger question: when will the promotion return to Brazil? Earlier in 2026, reports said the promotion was planning two Brazilian events, with Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Brasília, and Fortaleza discussed as possible locations. As of the latest official schedule, those 2026 dates have not been confirmed.

What is confirmed is a strong Brazilian run in November. Gabriel Bonfim is scheduled to face Sean Brady on November 7 at Meta APEX. Then, at UFC 334 on November 14 at Madison Square Garden, Caio Borralho faces Yousri Belgaroui.

Alex Pereira is also part of the storyline. After losing to Gane in his heavyweight debut, Pereira said he would stay at heavyweight. His next fight is set for UFC 335 against Sergei Pavlovich, giving him another chance to prove the move was more than a one-fight experiment.