ABU DHABI – Matt Schnell beat Tyson Nam with a split decision Wednesday on the main card at UFC on ESPN 20 in Abu Dhabi.

Take a look inside the fight with Schnell, who got back in the win column in his first fight since December 2019.

Schnell on the fight’s key moment

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JANUARY 20: (L-R) Matt Schnell punches Tyson Nam in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Etihad Arena on UFC Fight Island on January 20, 2021 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

“I knew I’d have the speed advantage. It’s always the game plan that if they hit you once, hit them three times. That was probably about the clip — one to three. I was doing subtle things to keep him from lining me up and squaring me up with a good one. Most of the ones that hit me didn’t land clean. Most of them were skimming off me. He wasn’t quite able to line me up, but the young man’s go some thump—no doubt about it. You can’t take it away from him. He was definitely bringing it.

“I was trying to stay offline so I don’t eat the brunt of his right hand, so he can’t turn his hip over on me. I was delivering good shots, too. I had him stepping in potholes a couple times.”

Schnell on being overlooked by some experts

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JANUARY 20: (L-R) Tyson Nam punches Matt Schnell in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Etihad Arena on UFC Fight Island on January 20, 2021 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

“Tyson had all the momentum coming into this thing. Ask the pundits who they were picking. They were all picking Tyson Nam. You can’t blame them because you’re only as good as your last fight. I took an ‘L’ in my last fight and Tyson’s been cleaning dudes’ clocks. I get it, but I’m telling you I’m one of the best in the world. With 15 focused minutes, I can beat any man on two legs.”

(To note: Half of MMA Junkie’s 14 pickers took Schnell in a fight with the closest betting lines on the main card.)

Schnell on what he wants next

“It’s been over a year since I’ve been in there. I felt fine, but I’m going to amass some momentum. I’m a serious guy in this division. I’m interested in fun fights. I knew Tyson Nam would be a fun fight. I played it pretty conservative tonight, tried to stay on my jab and just outwork him. There are some exciting matchups out there.”

To hear more from Schnell, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.