Mike Malott managed to fight his way to a unanimous decision victory over Kevin Holland tonight at UFC Fight Night 262 after earlier landing two illegal groin strikes that almost left his opponent unable to continue.
Round One
Inside leg kick for Holland as the opening minute goes by without much action.
Leg kicks exchanged. Holland punches to the body. Couple of punches fired off by Malott.
Malott looks for another combination and Holland tries to work for a takedown, but gives up on it quickly.
Holland catches a kick and then lands a punch that puts Malott down. Holland gets on top looking for further punishment. Malott does well to scramble and get on top.
Now it’s Holland who is looking for a possible leg lock and then tries to work back on top, but they end up going back to the feet.
Front kick to the body from Malott strays to the groin and forces a time-out.
Holland is soon ok. Punch for Holland. Holland coming forward with purpose looking for another strike, but Malott clinches up. A knee to the groin from Malott drops Holland to the mat and forces another time-out.
Holland needs much more time to recover this time and there’s a risk Malott could be deducted a point. Replays show Malott’s knee landed above the groin, but his shin landed to that area, so that’s still illegal. Crowd not happy about it though and Holland is frustrated with them for that as he continues to try to recover. He still has a minute left of the time-out remaining and is using that. The ref tells Malott he’ll be deducted a point if he does that again.
Holland is still uncomfortable as the time-out concludes, but he’s going to fight on regardless.
40 seconds of the round remaining. Two jabs from Malott and then misses on a head kick attempt. Punches from Malott as Holland tries to clinch up. They break away. Holland is still clearly hurt from the groin and he barely makes it to the end of the round and complains about it inbetween rounds to his corner.
The ref then calls in the doctor to check on him, who is asking whether he can continue or not. Holland isn’t giving a direct answer. There’s a very long break here until he finally decides to fight on.
Round Two
Holland feeling out with the jab to maintain distance here. Oblique kick from Holland.
Malott with a flurry and finds a home for his left hand. Jab for Holland. Grazing right from him now. Jab for Malott.
Holland lands a right and then a solid left. Kick from Malott. Inside leg kick from Holland. He tries for a head kick. Holland misses a punch and eats a counter from Malott.
Light inside leg kick from Holland. And again. Punch gets through for Malott. Front kick to the body from Malott. Now a left hook.
Calf kick from Holland. Now a front kick to the body. Nice right hand for Holland. Malott clinches up. Knee from Holland and then breaks free.
Malott backs Holland up to the cage and then lands a good flurry of punches. Holland tries to fire back unsuccessfully.
Back to the center of the Octagon and lands a couple of punches. Uppercut for him that bloodies Malott’s nose. Holland getting a little wild trying to land another big strike as the round comes to a close.
Round Three
Inside leg kick from Holland. Now a jab. Leg kick, but Malott lands a counter punch.
Leg kick for Holland and Malott counters again with a punch. Bit of a wild, untidy exchange in close then they separate.
Holland steps in and then just gets his head out of the way as Malott looks for a punch. Malott does land now as Holland comes in.
A couple of jabs get through for Holland. Malott drives for a takedown and slams him down.
Bit of a scramble, but Malott secures top position in Holland’s guard. A few punches from Malott as he moves to half-guard.
Malott trying to pass guard while working for an arm-triangle choke. He gets off to the side, but Holland rolls nicely to get out of that and back to his feet.
Malott stays clinched up against the cage though as the remaining seconds of the fight tick by without any further notable action.
Decision
An odd fight then with the two groin strikes in the first round clearly compromising Holland, who looked out-of-sorts for the rest of the bout. Malott didn’t get a point deducted though, and that proves crucial in the end as he emerges with a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).
