Former Contender Series standout Nick Galanti made a huge splash in the UFC’s middleweight division earlier tonight (Sat., Oct. 17, 2026) at UFC Edmonton LIVE on Paramount+ from inside Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, making easy work out of hometown fighter Julien Leblanc with a first-round submission (neck crank).
Galanti was a massive favorite to do work in his Octagon debut, but you never really know until the cage door shuts. The grappling-heavy prospect has looked real good throughout his pro MMA career ahead of Saturday night, but he still needed to prove he’s a name to watch at 185 pounds. LeBlanc only had one UFC fight under his belt so he was a perfect test for Galanti.
Unfortunately for the Canadian crowd looking to cheer on LeBlanc, Galanti waited just a few seconds before changing levels and securing a takedown along the cage. From there, the New Jersey native worked to the back and threatened with a rear-naked choke. Instead of waiting to lock it up, Galanti simply cranked LeBlanc’s neck and got the tap that way. It was pretty seemless.
Check out the video highlights below:
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