RIO RANCHO, N.M. – Scott Holtzman beat Jim Miller with a unanimous decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC on ESPN+ 25 in Rio Rancho, N.M.
Take a look inside the fight with Holtzman, who won for the second straight time and picked up his first post-fight bonus in the UFC.
Result: Scott Holtzman def. Jim Miller via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Updated records: Holtzman (14-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC), Miller (31-14 MMA, 20-13 UFC)
Key stat: Holtzman outstruck Miller 120-66 and denied Miller the UFC’s all-time wins record.
Holtzman on the fight’s key moment
“I wanted to neutralize how well rounded he is. I wanted to put the fight where I thought I had the big advantage, which was not letting him grapple and grind me out. I thought I had the best chance on the feet, controlling the pace and distance. I hit him with some shots where I knew he had to be hurt, but he’s New Jersey though. I knew what I was getting into, I knew he’d be there for 15 minutes and I had to prove that I belong in there with him.”
Holtzman on fighting a veteran like Miller
“I don’t think there’s anything more I can say about Jim that hasn’t been said already. He’s a legend, going into the (UFC) Hall of Fame. I didn’t know if I could win, if I’m honest. I wasn’t sure. But my team believed in me. They got me prepared to beat someone like that, someone so special. I’ve had a checkered past here in the UFC, but I think this proves that I belong with the upper echelon of guys.”
Holtzman on what he wants next
“I decided before this fight that I don’t care about the rankings. I don’t care about the belt. I want fights that the fans want to see. I want exciting fights. I want that ‘BMF’ belt – that’s the one that I’m in line for. Put me in there with someone that’s going to be exciting and put on a fight like that.”
To hear more from Holtzman, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
