Scott Holtzman Reflects on Retirement After UFC Orlando: ’It’s Been a Hell of a Ride’

Scott Holtzman is calling it a career at 39 years old.

The Knoxville, Tenn., native left his gloves in the Octagon following a split-decision loss to Clay Guida at UFC on ESPN 42, signaling the end of a professional MMA tenure that began in 2012. “Hot Sauce” went 7-6 in UFC competition after making his promotional debut in 2015 but ended his career with successive losses to Guida, Mateusz Gamrot and Beneil Dariush.

“It’s bittersweet, man,” Holtzman said at a post-fight press conference (via MMAFighting.com). “I was coming off two bad losses in a row to what turns out to be really good guys. All my losses, killers. I got into the UFC when I was 30 years old. I was just a guy from Tennessee, an athlete. I started being pretty good at fighting and just rode the wave. All of a sudden I’m up here in the UFC with these world champions and jiu-jitsu black belts and Division I wrestlers. I’m just a kid from Tennessee. It’s been a hell of a ride. I’ve had a lot of great opportunities from the UFC and through fighting I’ve met some of the best people in the world.”

Holtzman began his pro career with eight consecutive triumphs, including a submission of Anthony Christodoulou in his Octagon debut at UFC Fight Night 73. At one point, he was victorious in five of six UFC appearances from April 2017 to February 2020. He exits the sport with a 14-6 career mark that includes notable wins over the likes of Jim Miller and Alan Patrick.

“I’m happy with my body of work,” Holtzman said. “I wasn’t supposed to be here. All I ever wanted to be was a professional athlete, and I ended up doing that. I’ve hung in here with the best guys in the world. I was ranked just outside the Top 15, and that ain’t bad.”