Prior to each UFC card, Jay Primetown takes a close look at debuting fighters. In the latest installment, we look at lightweight Scott Holtzman as he takes on Anthony Christodoulou at UFN 73 in Nashville, Tennessee. Scott “Hot Sauce” Holtzman Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee Age: 31 Height: 5’9” Reach: N/A Weight Class: Lightweight Camp: MMA Lab Career Record: 7-0 Key Wins: None Key Losses: None Background The undefeated Holtzman enters the UFC on the back of a 7-0 record. Hailing from Knoxville, Tennesee, he will make his UFC debut in his backyard at nearby Nashville. Strengths
- Aggressive striker
- Makes use of a balanced attack landing in combination
- Strong, top-heavy fighter
- Heavy ground and pound
- Good short elbows from top control
- Solid conditioning
Weaknesses
- Doesn’t deal with fighters with good movement
- Lacks one punch knockout power
- Takedown defense is questionable
- Level of competition not UFC caliber
Matchup with Anthony Christodoulou This is a matchup designed to make the debutant look good. While Christodoulou has decent size for the weight class, he’s slow and has poor movement. Holtzman is an unrelenting fighter who will be on Christodoulou for the entirety of the fight. His bully-like style is difficult for opponents to deal with, especially those that aren’t great athletes such as Christodoulou. While Holtzman doesn’t possess single punch knockout power, expect him to dominate from start to finish and either win by a ground and pound finish or a clear decision. There’s a reason the oddsmakers set this line where they did as there’s no real path to victory for Christodoulou in this fight. UFC Ceiling Scott Holtzman is a tough fighter. He’s physically strong with a rather relentless approach in the cage. He doesn’t have prolonged standing exchanges or periods of inactivity allowing opponents to win rounds against him. He’s the type of fighter capable of bullying opponents that are not at the same talent level as him. That alone will allow him to win a few bouts in the UFC. The question is what happens when he faces a talented wrestler or a truly skilled striker. How will Holtzman deal when he’s not the more talented striker in the cage? Those are the questions he will have to answer to show if he can compete with some of the better fighters in this division. Fight Film Check out Scott Holtzman in some of his most recent fights: Scott Holtzman vs. Roger Carroll Scott Holtzman vs. John Mahlow