Zak Ottow

The Barbarian

USA

Released after inconsistent run
WelterweightOther
December 19, 2019
Ottow was released by the UFC on Thursday, MMAJunkie.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Ottow carried a 4-5 record with the promotion as he alternated wins and losses during his tenure. He most recently lost to Alex Morono via TKO (strikes, verbal submission) at UFC 146 in March. Three of his four wins came via split decision as he was unable to gain much traction under the UFC banner.
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Quickly stopped by Alex Morono
WelterweightOther
March 9, 2019
Ottow lost to Alex Morono via TKO (strikes, verbal submission) at 3:34 of Round 1 at UFC Fight Night in Wichita, Kansas.
ANALYSIS
It was another abysmal effort from Ottow. He and Morono were fighting on fairly even terms in the early portion of the bout before Ottow went for an ill-advised takedown attempt and Morono caught him in a guillotine. Ottow didn't tap out to the choke, but he was never able to recover and referee Rob Hinds was calling off the bout shortly thereafter. Ottow has now alternated wins and losses in his first nine UFC contests (4-5) and three of the four wins have come via split decision. There's nothing to see here.
Takes highly questionable decision
WelterweightOther
December 15, 2018
Ottow defeated Dwight Grant via split decision (29-28, 28-29 29-28) at UFC on Fox 31 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Saturday.
ANALYSIS
Ottow landed a grand total of 14 significant strikes in this fight but the judges somehow felt that his forward pressuring was enough against an opponent who was retreating for most of the bout. It's tough to say where this leaves Ottow, as he still reacted poorly when Grant did decide to pour on the pressure, though he was able to use his wrestling effectively in spots. He moves to 17-6 in professional MMA as a result of the victory.
Struggles with conditioning in Saturday's loss to Sage Northcutt
WelterweightOther
July 14, 2018
Ottow lost to Sage Northcutt via TKO (punches) at 3:13 of Round 2 at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in Boise, Idaho.
ANALYSIS
Ottow was in control for the vast majority of Round 1, but he was unable to get the stoppage and his gas tank quickly hit empty. It's an especially poor performance for the 31-year-old considering Sage was in all sorts of trouble early in the fight. While Northcutt connected with a nice combination to set up the finish, Ottow was simply too tired to return fire and referee Jason Herzog was forced to intervene. Ottow has now alternated wins and losses in his first six UFC bouts, and as we all know, a .500 record won't get the job done.
Locks in fight vs. Sage Northcutt
WelterweightOther
June 18, 2018
Ottow will fight Sage Northcutt at UFC Boise on July 14, Marc Raimondi of MMAFighting.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Ottow has secured victories in two of his last three fights, most recently notching a TKO win over Mike Pyle in March. Despite the knockout the last time out, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt owns 10 submissions across 16 career wins, so he's extremely comfortable on the ground and could look to take advantage of that against Northcutt. Ottow has the experience advantage over the 22-year-old Northcutt as well, especially at the welterweight level. Northcutt's only two fights at this weight have resulted in losses, which is notable considering his career record of 10-2.
Knocks out Mike Pyle to get back in win column Saturday
WelterweightOther
March 3, 2018
Ottow defeated Mike Pyle via TKO (punches) at 2:34 of Round 1 at UFC 222 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
ANALYSIS
It was a fight that Ottow had to have and he did so in dominating fashion. One big punch floored Pyle and led to the finish. Ottow has alternated wins and losses in his first five fights since entering the UFC in October 2016. The 31-year-old is a mat specialist with some pop in his hands, so he can do some damage in the UFC's welterweight division if he can just develop some consistency moving forward.