Mike Malott pushed back on any suggestion that his low blows against Kevin Holland were egregious at UFC Vancouver on Saturday, insisting the infractions were incidental and not serious enough to change the course of the fight.
“Honestly, I was just focused on the fight. Don’t get too hyped and frustrated with things you can’t control. I think we were both throwing kicks at the same time and one of me went low first,” Malott told reporters, including Cageside Press.
“The second time my knee hit him in the hip. I think my shin hit his cup. Maybe I’m crazy, but I’m just like a dude. I swear my knee hit him in the hip, right above the belt line.”
Malott (13-2-1) addressed the accidental error head on, recognizing the challenge of the Netherlands’ unique frame. He did not deny the impact, but emphasized that it came from a difficult physical match and not from recklessness.
“He’s so tall. Dude’s like all limbs, right? His hips are so high it’s hard to get that knee up. I’m sure my shin hit him in the groin, I bet it hurt, I don’t think he was being dramatic or anything,” he said.
Malott walked away with the win despite the mistakes and is now turning his attention to the future. He is pushing for a return to the rankings and a high-profile match seems inevitable.
“I’ve got my eye on all these guys. This fight I’m really focused on Kevin Holland, he’s not someone you should look past,” he said.
“I’m not focused on what happens after this fight. I’m focused on tonight and feel like I’ve earned the right to just say, ‘Okay, nice. I’m going to take the rest of the night and be happy with the win, instead of what I’m going to do next.’
Watch the full post-fight scrum with Mike Malott above.
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