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.”
