Mike Malott pushed back on any suggestion that his low blows against Kevin Holland were egregious at UFC Vancouver on Saturday, insisting the fouls were incidental and not severe enough to change the course of the fight.
“Honestly, I was just focused on the fight. Don’t get too hyped and like frustrated at stuff that you can’t control. I think we both threw kicks at the same time and one of mine went low first,” Malott told reporters including Cageside Press.
“The second one my knee hit him in the hip. My shin I think brushed his cup. Maybe I’m crazy, but I’m like dude I swear my knee hit him in the hip, right above the belt line.”
Malott (13-2-1) addressed the accidental foul directly, acknowledging the challenge of Holland’s unique frame. He didn’t deny the impact, but emphasized it came from a difficult physical matchup rather than 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 did 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 fouls and now turns his focus to what’s next. He’s pushing for a return to the rankings, and a high-profile matchup feels inevitable.
“I have my eyes on all these guys. This fight, I’m like really focused on Kevin Holland, this is not a guy you should look past,” he said.
“I’m not focused on what’s happening after this fight. I’m focused on tonight, and feel like I earned the right to just be like, ‘alright, nice. I’m going to take just the rest of the night and be happy with the win rather than what I’m going to do next.”
Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Mike Malott above.
