“I feel like most people that are really successful in something or achieve a high level in athletics, whatever avenue they want to pursue, it’s not just a thing you do in your life — it really is the biggest part of your life and you have to make that your life,” he said. “My life is built around MMA.
“Every day I do at least a couple things to get myself closer to achieving my goals, and I think it was that, rather than having a plan (that got me here).”
This weekend, not only will Malott finally make the walk to the Octagon for the second time, but he’ll do so alongside his Niagara Top Team teammate Jasmine Jasudavicius, who returns against Gabriella Fernandes. His close friend Andre Fili was supposed to be on the card as well, but an eye injury forced the Team Alpha Male member to withdraw, temporarily delaying what is a “side-quest goal” for the ascending Canadian.
“We’ve got Jas on the card, which is awesome, so everyone is focused on this date,” began Malott, noting that teammate and fellow DWCS alum Anthony Romero was set to fight a week earlier, as well, adding to the intensity in the room at Niagara Top Team. “And then one of my favorite people in the world, one of my best friends in the world, Andre Fili from Alpha Male, was on the card, too.
“We were talking about it a month ago, like, ‘This is some bucket-list-type stuff.’ We’ll be 60 years old one day looking back like, ‘We fought on the same card!’
“That’s the stuff I’m looking forward to looking back on,” he added. “Of course, I have tons of aspirations and goals for the sport, but things like ‘fighting on the same card as your friends and ‘fighting in Toronto’ are the side-quest goals.”
Considering he found a way to turn his prep school dream into reality, don’t be surprised if Malott finds a way to land on a card alongside Fili and other members of Team Alpha Male and logs an appearance on a card at Scotiabank Arena in the not-too-distant future.
And when he does, you know he’s going to cherish every moment of it, just like he does everything else about this dream-come-true life he’s built for himself.
