UFC Fight Night: Chad Anheliger vs Steven Koslow Preview & Prediction

Two long-absent bantamweights return to the octagon in Edmonton, as Canadian Chad Anheliger faces the submission specialist Steven Koslow.

Chad Anheliger vs Steven Koslow facts

What time are Chad Anheliger and Steven Koslow expected to walk out? 17 October 2026 at 11:10 pm

Where is UFC Fight Night: Buckley vs Malott? Rogers Place, Edmonton, Canada

Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Buckley vs Malott? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 291

What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Buckley vs Malott on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount

Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Buckley vs Malott? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass

UFC Fight Night: Buckley vs Malott main card

Joaquin Buckley vs Mike Malott (Welterweight)

Erin Blanchfield vs Jasmine Jasudavicius (Women’s Flyweight)

Kyle Nelson vs Cristian Perez (Lightweight)

Marc-Andre Barriault vs Kyle Daukaus (Middleweight)

Louis Jourdain vs Timothy Cuamba (Bantamweight)

Mandel Nallo vs Nate Landwehr (Lightweight)

UFC Fight Night: Buckley vs Malott prelims

Tanner Boser vs Jhonata Diniz (Heavyweight)

Julien Leblanc vs Nick Galanti (Middleweight)

Javad Mahjoub vs Joel Faglier (Heavyweight)

Katlyn Cerminara vs Mackenzie Stiller (Women’s Flyweight)

Chad Anheliger vs Steven Koslow (Bantamweight)

Melissa Croden vs Chelsea Chandler (Women’s Bantamweight)

Cody Chovancek vs You Su-young (Bantamweight)

Chad Anheliger: “The Monster” returns home after two years away

Chad Anheliger (13-8) hasn’t fought since November 2024, when Cody Gibson took him down repeatedly for a lopsided decision in this very building. The 39-year-old Canadian is 2-3 in the UFC, with the Gibson loss following a decision win over Charalampos Grigoriou and a third round submission defeat to Jose Johnson. On tape, Anheliger is a counter-punching boxer with a good jab, decent calf kicks, alright cardio, and an opportunistic guillotine. The problem is that he doesn’t excel anywhere, he’s very hittable on the feet, and his takedown defence is poor.

Steven Koslow: Submission specialist back after four years out

Steven Koslow (6-1) hasn’t fought since his short-notice UFC debut against Cameron Saaiman in December 2022. He put on a good showing there, landing multiple takedowns and threatening submissions, before gassing out and getting stopped late in the third round. That performance hasn’t aged too well though, Saaiman is now on a three-fight losing streak. Grappling is Koslow’s clear strength – every one of his six wins came by first round submission, with rear naked chokes, a kimura, a triangle and an armbar on his record. The 29-year-old has kept his bjj sharp during his time away, judging by his social media.

Chad Anheliger vs Steven Koslow prediction

This is a pretty weird matchup, with both men coming off long layoffs. It’s hard to know how either will show up, one is on the back end of his career, the other was only just started before being four years out the game.

Even so, I have to lean on the younger man. Koslow is less well-rounded and has had longer away, but he’s ten years younger and excels in one area of the game. Anheliger doesn’t excel in any particular realm, and his vulnerabilities line up with Koslow’s strengths. Six of his eight career losses have come by submission, and the last time we saw him, Gibson took him down at will and he had no answers.

Koslow took Saaiman down multiple times, and there’s no reason he can’t do the same against a man with a 38% takedown defence. Once it hits the mat, Anheliger’s loose submission defence is a liability against a grappler who has finished every win in the opening round. The danger for Koslow is his gas tank, so the longer this goes, the more Anheliger’s boxing and the home crowd come into play. Expect Koslow to go for it early.

Prediction: Steven Koslow to win by submission in round one