THE APEX TIMES
Javad Majhoub turns Olympic judo pedigree into a UFC title chase with debut in Edmonton
The unbeaten heavyweight will make his promotional debut at UFC Fight Night: Buckley vs Malott, bringing a rare transition story and a long-range goal that starts Saturday at Rogers Place.
Javad Majhoub’s UFC debut in Edmonton is not just a new chapter in MMA, it is the next platform for a career built in international-level judo. An unbeaten heavyweight at 35, Majhoub moved into mixed martial arts after an extended stretch of competing internationally, including Olympic qualification and participation with the IOC Refugee Olympic Team at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Ahead of his first Octagon appearance, the UFC notes Majhoub arrives with a 5-0 record and four finishes going into Saturday’s bout against fellow newcomer Joel Faglier as part of UFC Fight Night: Buckley vs Malott at Rogers Place.
Majhoub’s transition has been shaped by the difficulty of changing roles within combat sports, he said in UFC’s Fight Week interview. He described the challenge of being a different “character” across disciplines, and said switching to full-time MMA required accepting the shift in how his training identity would look.
Instead of treating UFC as the end of the road, Majhoub framed it as a parallel to his Olympic ambitions. UFC reported that he did not medal despite qualifying twice for the Games, and he now views the Octagon as “another Olympics” with designs on capturing a title.
Training-wise, Majhoub is now based in Montreal and has joined Tristar Gym, where UFC said he works with coaches and training partners including Georges St-Pierre and Firas Zahabi, along with Conrad Pla. Majhoub described the environment as motivating, and said he is focused on executing his job in the fight while also trying to enjoy the moment on the sport’s biggest stage.
Why It Matters
- Majhoub’s background highlights how Olympic-level grappling experience is feeding into the UFC heavyweight pipeline, potentially accelerating the learning curve that usually comes with switching sports.
- With debut fighters on a main-event card, Edmonton becomes a stage for UFC to test how quickly newcomers can translate established combat-sport habits into MMA outcomes.
- Majhoub’s stated goal of chasing a title reframes his UFC start as the opening of a longer trajectory, not a short-term trial.
- His move to Tristar places him in a gym environment known for high-end coaching and partners, which could shape how his multidiscipline base develops in the early UFC stretch.
Key Facts
- Javad Majhoub (35) will make his UFC promotional debut Saturday at UFC Fight Night: Buckley vs Malott in Edmonton.
- Majhoub enters the fight unbeaten at 5-0 with four finishes, per the UFC.
- The UFC reported Majhoub previously competed at a high level in judo, including Olympic qualification and participation with the IOC Refugee Olympic Team in 2020.
- UFC reported that Majhoub is based in Montreal and trains at Tristar Gym under coach Firas Zahabi and with team partners including Georges St-Pierre.
- Majhoub is set to fight fellow newcomer Joel Faglier, also per UFC.