Javad Mahjoub vs. Joel Faglier
UFC Fight Night · October 17, 2026 · Rogers Place · Early Prelims 5:00 PM ET
The brief
- What kind of fight
- UFC debut vs. UFC debut
- Finish likelihood
- High
- The line
- No line posted yet
- The stakes
- Heavyweight · Early Prelims
The read
With no UFC tape on either heavyweight, and a short-notice opponent change on top of it, this is as much of an unknown as any fight on the card.
Both men have finished the majority of their wins, so a stoppage is the likely outcome, but how either responds to UFC-level competition for the first time is the biggest variable.
The matchup
This is a battle of undefeated heavyweight newcomers after a late change — Faglier stepped in for Louie Sutherland, who withdrew from his original bout with Mahjoub.
Mahjoub's judo background gives him a path to control the fight on the mat, while Faglier's finishing rate across the regional ranks, including three submission wins of his own, means he is comfortable there too.
Tale of the tape
| 5-0 | Record | 6-0 |
| 34 | Age | 25 |
| — | Height | 6'2" |
| — | Reach | — |
| — | Stance | — |
| Canada | Country | United States |
| Tristar Gym | Team | Faglier's Mixed Martial Arts |
The numbers
Career UFC averages. Red bar = statistical edge.
The fighters
Javad Mahjoub 5-0
Javad Mahjoub is a 34-year-old Iranian-born heavyweight who competes for Canada out of Tristar Gym, with a perfect 5-0 record built on a judo background and three knockout wins. He was originally slated to debut against Louie Sutherland before Sutherland withdrew from the bout. He now makes his UFC debut against fellow newcomer Joel Faglier in Edmonton.
Has never lost.
UFC debut — no prior UFC bouts.
Joel Faglier 6-0
“The Sniper”
Joel 'The Sniper' Faglier is a 25-year-old American heavyweight from Augusta, Georgia, who trains at his family's Faglier's Mixed Martial Arts gym and carries a perfect 6-0 record with five finishes, three of them by submission. He steps in on short notice for Louie Sutherland, who withdrew from his scheduled bout with Javad Mahjoub, and makes his own UFC debut in the process.
Has never lost.
UFC debut — no prior UFC bouts.