EDMONTON, Alberta, Canada – Mike Malott had to go against his nature in his return to the octagon.
The UFC welterweight entered Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 246 with an 100 percent finishing rate, but had to spoil that personal statistic for his bout against Trevin Giles (16-7 MMA, 7-7 UFC). Malott (11-2-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) wanted to get his first ever victory by decision, and also wanted to avoid losing a second straight fight, as he was coming off a TKO defeat to veteran Neil Magny.
“I felt like I had to check the ego a little bit in this one,” Malott told reporters at the UFC Fight Night 246 post-fight press conference. “I pride myself on putting guys away, and I’m like, ‘Look, if you get the stoppage, that’s amazing. If you get 15 minutes of cage time and win a 15-minute decision, that’s amazing. Just get back on the winning track and we can focus on the rest later.’ I was genuinely happy to get those 15 minutes of experience and feel that cage time.”
The Malott vs. Giles fight wasn’t the most exciting bout on the card, but Malott is OK with that. The Canadian was mainly focused on getting back in the win column, and also felt comfortable going to the decision.
Malott thinks it was up to Giles to look for the finish, not him.
“I had a few moments in there where I was like, ‘All right, let’s beat this dude’s ass – put it on him.’ But look, man, I felt I was winning pretty much the whole fight, and it felt like I was in control of the fight for the most part,” Malott said. “I felt it was 30-27. I know he had some moments, especially at the beginning of the second, but nothing that really hurt or anything, just optics that didn’t look good. I felt I was picking him apart. I felt like I was getting the better shots. … I felt I was en route to win a decision. If anything, the responsibility lies on him to take risk. I’m winning right now – I don’t need to take those massive risks.”
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