Cody Chovancek is now 9-1 after losing his UFC debut to SuYoung You by third-round kimura at UFC Fight Night: Buckley vs. Malott in Edmonton on 17 October 2026. The official time was 4:19 of round 3, and it was the first defeat of the Canadian bantamweight's professional career. No next fight has been announced for him.
How the fight with SuYoung You ended
The bout took place at Rogers Place, in front of a home crowd for Chovancek. According to Cageside Press, You controlled most of the fight with wrestling. He landed a single-leg takedown in round one and took the back, and although Chovancek recovered guard and used an armlock attempt to get back to his feet, You pulled him down again.
In round two Chovancek scored the only takedown of his night at the start, but You quickly scrambled on top, took him down again, advanced to mount and landed short ground-and-pound. Chovancek defended several submission threats. You took a takedown in every round.
In round three You got an early takedown and kept Chovancek against the cage. With about a minute left he isolated an arm, stepped his leg over and locked the kimura, and Chovancek tapped. According to the UFC's official result, the finish came at 4:19. It was You's first finish under the UFC banner, and he said afterwards that he wants to fight Alexandre Topuria next, according to Cageside Press.
Chovancek's record and how he won his nine fights
Pugna MMA's database lists Chovancek, who fights out of Niagara Top Team and is nicknamed "The Best Fisherman in MMA", at 9-1-0. Before the fight he was unbeaten at 9-0, so the kimura is his first loss in any form as a professional.
His nine wins split into three groups: four by KO or TKO, two by submission and three by decision. Six of the nine ended inside the distance, with knockouts the most common route. You, who has won six of his last seven fights, kept the fight on the ground, where Chovancek's striking could not decide it.
The road from Contender Series to the UFC
Chovancek earned his contract on Dana White's Contender Series. On 16 September 2025, in week six of season 9, he beat Raphael Uchegbu by TKO in round three. Uchegbu, a Briton who is now 11-2-0 according to our data, has since fought for PFL, beating Edson Machavane by decision at PFL Africa 2 in June 2026.
Chovancek's promotional debut was delayed. Cageside Press reported that a nagging injury pushed it back from the original date, so the Edmonton fight came about thirteen months after his Contender Series win. You was also coming off a loss, to Elijah Smith in March.
What a debut loss means for a bantamweight newcomer
A loss on debut does not by itself end a prospect's time in the UFC, but the promotion has not said what it plans for Chovancek, and we will not guess at an opponent or a date.
What the fight did show is where the work is. Across three rounds he was taken down four times and spent long stretches defending from the bottom or the back. At 9-1 he is still early in his career, and a second UFC appearance will tell more about how he adjusts than this one did. Until the UFC or the fighter says anything, there is no booked bout. For the record, Chovancek's profile on Pugna MMA shows no ranking, and the Edmonton card listed the fight as a non-title bantamweight bout.
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