Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Otari Tanzilovi
UFC Fight Night · October 10, 2026 · Meta Apex · Main Card 8:00 PM ET
The brief
- What kind of fight
- Finisher vs. finisher
- Finish likelihood
- Very High
- The line
- Wellmaker -215 · Tanzilovi +175Consensus (multiple sportsbooks)
- The stakes
- Bantamweight · Main Card
The read
Wellmaker's switch-stance power and finishing instincts make him the favorite, but Tanzilovi's knockout rate means this is live for either man from the opening bell.
Expect an aggressive, high-finish-probability fight that likely doesn't reach the judges.
The matchup
Both bantamweights are trying to snap a setback, and both have built their careers around finishing power rather than going to the scorecards.
Wellmaker's 80% finish rate and switch-stance kickboxing give him a dangerous, unpredictable look, while Tanzilovi's seven knockouts and five first-round finishes make him just as live in the opening minute.
Whoever lands first and cleanest likely ends this early.
Tale of the tape
| 10-2 | Record | 10-2 |
| 32 | Age | 28 |
| 5'10" | Height | 5'9" |
| 71.5" | Reach | 70" |
| Switch | Stance | Orthodox |
| United States | Country | Georgia |
| Faglier's MMA | Team | Guram Fight Club |
The numbers
Career UFC averages. Red bar = statistical edge.
The fighters
Malcolm Wellmaker 10-2
“The Machine”
Malcolm "The Machine" Wellmaker is a 32-year-old American bantamweight out of Augusta, with six of his 10 career wins coming by knockout and an 80% overall finish rate. He has dropped two straight, a decision loss to Ethyn Ewing followed by a rear-naked-choke submission loss to Juan Diaz in May 2026, and now looks to snap the skid against fellow finisher Otari Tanzilovi.
- LJuan Diaz · Submission (rear-naked choke)UFC Fight Night · May 16, 2026
- LEthyn Ewing · Decision (unanimous)UFC 322 · November 15, 2025
- WKris Moutinho · KO/TKOUFC Fight Night · June 14, 2025
Otari Tanzilovi 10-2
Otari Tanzilovi is a 28-year-old Georgian bantamweight out of Guram Fight Club, with seven of his 10 career wins coming by knockout and five finishes inside the first round. He dropped a lopsided unanimous decision to Shane Collins in June 2026 and now looks to get back on track against fellow knockout-oriented striker Malcolm Wellmaker.
- LShane Collins · Decision (unanimous)UFC Fight Night · June 20, 2026
- WGuillermo Torres · Decision (unanimous)UFC Fight Night · February 7, 2025