Malcolm Wellmaker Seeks Rebound at UFC Vegas 122 After Camp Shift

Malcolm Wellmaker will look to bounce back from a two-fight losing streak when he takes on Otari Tanzilovi at UFC Vegas 122 this Saturday at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas. Both bantamweights enter the contest carrying matching 10-2 professional records.

The 32-year-old Wellmaker earned his spot on the UFC roster through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024 and won his first two promotional bouts. However, his momentum stalled after suffering his first career defeat against Ethyn Ewing last November, followed by a submission loss to Juan Diaz in May, evening his promotional mark at 2-2.

Speaking to Sherdog ahead of the event, Wellmaker admitted the setbacks revealed gaps in his game and forced an essential mentality shift. The Georgia native acknowledged that his confidence had previously been "a little bit high" before experiencing defeat for the first time in his professional run. To address those deficiencies, Wellmaker made a significant change to his training environment by joining American Top Team, where he has worked alongside seasoned coaches and athletes to round out his skill set.

Despite making adjustments to become a more complete mixed martial artist, Wellmaker noted that he has no intention of abandoning the aggressive mindset that secured him a UFC contract. Heading into the matchup with Tanzilovi, he remains intent on utilizing his power to push for a knockout finish.