Jai Herbert and Mandel Nallo meet on the UFC Fight Night 273 main card Saturday at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.

• Last event's results: 4-1
• UFC main cards, 2026: 33-17

Jai Herbert vs. Mandel Nallo UFC Winnipeg preview

It's been a rocky past few years for Herbert (13-6-1 MMA, 3-5-1 UFC), who is 2-2-1 in his past five bouts.He's coming off a March 2025 split decision loss to Chris Padilla. Nallo (14-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC), a former Bellator fighter, is making his UFC debut after earning his contract through Dana White's Contender Series last year.

Jai Herbert vs. Mandel Nallo UFC Winnipeg expert pick, prediction

Serving as a potential striker's delight at lightweight is a battle between Mandel Nallo and Jai Herbert.

Nallo, who is technically the newcomer that was freshly signed off Dana White's Contender Series, is actually a longtime, savvy veteran who is very well known in hardcore circles.

Welcoming Nallo is the ever-experienced Englishman, Herbert. Although Herbert may be more known for his losses to names like Ilia Topuria, the "Black Country Banger" is a tried and true striker who isn't afraid to mix in the occasional takedown.

This seems like a spot that's asking for an upset on paper, but I believe that Nallo will be the more comfortable striker in a matchup full of size and style parity. I also believe that Nallo is the better leg kicker and long-range operator with a much higher finishing upside, so I'll side with the Tristar Gym product here.

The official pick is for Nallo to spark off a stoppage via leg kicks late into Round 2.

Jai Herbert vs. Mandel Nallo UFC Winnipeg odds

The oddsmakers and the public favor the Canadian fighter, listing Nallo -172 and Herbert +140 via FanDuel.

Jai Herbert vs. Mandel Nallo UFC Winnipeg start time, how to watch

Herbert and Nallo are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 9:10 p.m. ET. The fight streams live on Paramount+.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC Winnipeg: Jai Herbert vs. Mandel Nallo prediction, pick