‘Cheap’…Mike Malott reveals tense exchange backstage with Kevin Holland after UFC Vancouver controversy

Things between UFC welterweights Kevin Holland and Mike Malott nearly escalated backstage after their fight at UFC Vancouver.

The UFC Vancouver co-main event bout between surging welterweights Kevin Holland and Mike Malott didn’t disappoint last Saturday. The fight was a barnburner from start-to-finish, with Malott getting the unanimous decision nod over the UFC fan favorite Holland.

But the fight didn’t play out without controversy. Holland was hit with two accidental groin shots from Malott during the fight, including one which left Holland in visible pain on the canvas in the middle of the bout. Malott wasn’t penalized for the infractions and grinded his way to victory.

Things between Malott and Holland were competitive, yet cordial, leading up to UFC Vancouver. According to Malott, Holland didn’t accept Malott’s post-fight apology for the groin shots and things got testy backstage.

Mike Malott: Kevin Holland said ‘I can’t respect you’ after accidental groin shots

During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Malott revealed what happened backstage with Holland after UFC Vancouver.

“Backstage I was like ‘Hey man, sorry about the groin shots, hope you’re alright!’ and he said ‘Yeah, that was cheap man’. And I’m like, you think I’m trying to kick you in the groin? That’s not what I came here to do,” Malott said.

“UFC Canada was following me with a camera, and then he said something similar. Tried to apologize a couple times, we’re fighting, stuff happens. He just was like ‘I can’t respect you’…there wasn’t anything standoffish, really. I respect him, he’s one of the best guys in the sport, a veteran.

“I was really excited to get this fight because this seemed like the first fight in my UFC career where, if you’re even like a remotely casual UFC fan, you know the name Kevin Holland.”

Malott has won three-straight fights since suffering his first UFC defeat to Neil Magny at UFC 297. He’s defeated Trevin Giles, Charles Radke, and Holland since the Magny fight.