Kevin Holland knew he was severely injured after absorbing brutal low blows from Mike Malott at UFC Vancouver, and the welterweight has now revealed just how much the illegal strikes affected his performance in the unanimous decision loss.
Holland was hit with a pair of low blows in the opening round against Malott, with the second shot putting him down on the canvas and requiring a full five-minute recovery period. Despite appearing momentarily unable to continue, Holland eventually got back to his feet and gave the go-ahead to restart the fight.
Holland Details Lasting Impact
Speaking to MMA Fighting, Holland acknowledged that the low blow had lingering effects throughout the remainder of the bout.
“I mean it sucked,” Holland said. “In the moment, it sucked. I didn’t want to continue at all but I’m happy I did. A better man for it. Now in the gym, somebody gets kicked in the nuts, and I’m like we’re not deducting a point, get your ass up, keep sparring. I mean I guess you could say everyone has iron nuts now.”
He added:
“I went home, I couldn’t drive my tractor, I couldn’t ride the horse. Hell, the only thing that felt good was good old chewy from the fcking chew monster, other than that, that thing was hurting. It was one of those situations where it’s like I’m blessed I’ve already got two kids. Those type of things affect you. F** Malott but other than that, good to go.”
Kevin Holland’s Recovery
He was able to finish the fight, but Holland admitted that it actually took several weeks before he finally started feeling good again.
“After like two weeks, I was back on the horse, rode real slow,” Holland said. “I was able to drive the tractor again. It hurt to do it but had to man up and do it because we had shit to do. By the time the fourth and sixth week came around, they felt about natural.
“The trauma from getting hit in the nuts is still there. Any time anybody aims in that area, I’m like whoa, chill out! You guys remember back in the day in the [Joaquin] Buckley fight, he hit me in the nuts a couple of times, and I’m like bro, I’m trying to smack something after this. It never really affected me that much but for some reason that day, they were racking up.”
The welterweight’s candid admission sheds light on how the illegal strikes may have contributed to his loss at Rogers Arena in Vancouver. Holland was visibly compromised after the second low blow and spent the full recovery time on the ground before deciding to continue.
Moving Forward After Setback
Despite the disappointing result and circumstances, Holland appears to be taking a philosophical approach to the experience. His comments suggest he’s using the incident as motivation in training, pushing his sparring partners to show the same toughness he displayed in Vancouver.
The loss marked another setback for Holland, who has experienced mixed results in recent outings. The veteran fighter’s willingness to continue despite being clearly compromised by the low blows demonstrated his warrior mentality, even as it may have cost him the fight.
In what might have been one of the more bizarre fights of recent time, Mike Malott pulled off perhaps the biggest win of his UFC career so far, defeating Kevin Holland in front of a native Canadian crowd in the co-main event of UFC Vancouver.
After a quiet start, Holland managed to catch a kick from Malott and dropped him with a right hand. Malott, however, managed to grab a leg and sweep, getting on top with grappling pressure. Back on the feet, Malott landed a pair of accidental low blows on Holland in a short timespan, the latter being a knee to the groin that clearly hurt Holland. Holland took the full five minutes and continued despite appearing to still be in pain, but nothing significant was landed following that. Despite this and Drew Dober’s point deduction earlier in the evening, Malott was not deducted a point.
After a bizarre sequence of events to check on Holland’s condition, Malott seemed to find success in the second round with technical striking, including a combination and knee to the body that appeared to hurt Holland. Holland seemed to not pour out as much as he should have in the third, and a slam takedown and an arm-triangle attempt helped to secure Malott the decision victory.
Mike Malott Bests Kevin Holland At UFC Vancouver
In any just world, that's a 28-28 draw. But Dan Miragliotta is horrendous as his job so Mike Malott wins.
Mike Malott is genuinely so bad lmao kneed Holland’s balls into his stomach and still couldn’t even finish the guy. Holy fuck what a fraud this guy is. pic.twitter.com/2XppDS1zrH
#UFCVancouver going down as one of the weirdest cards of the year…
1. Malott kicks Holland’s nuts, he’s fine after 1 minute 2. Malott knees Holland’s nuts, waits the full five minutes, then decides to continue fighting 3. Holland clearly in pain still as the doctor asks if he… pic.twitter.com/Hk7puxohGO
Malott has now won three straight and is now 6-1 in the UFC since his 2021 appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series. He entered tonight off a knockout of Charles Radtke at UFC 315.
Holland has now lost four of his last six, coming into tonight off a loss to Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 318.
Kevin Holland made it quite the task; however, Daniel Rodriguez was able to get the better of him at UFC 318 — a fight that included a third round that will go down as one of the more memorable rounds in the UFC this year.
Rodriguez appeared to get the better of Holland in the opening round, wobbling Holland on a couple of occasions as he landed body shots and counterpunches.
Rodriguez continued his momentum early in the second round by landing a hook that dropped Holland. Holland threw up his guard and was able to get back to his feet, but Rodriguez managed to land a left hand a little while later to score another knockdown. Holland nearly scored an armbar from the bottom and rebounded by scoring a takedown of Rodriguez later in the round.
Holland threatened a D’Arce choke and landed a left hand upon Rodriguez escaping. Rodriguez, however, clipped Holland around one of his eyes, doing damage and stuffing a takedown attempt.
Rodriguez needed to survive the third round; however, he was stunned by an uppercut from Holland. Holland threatened a guillotine choke and continued to pour on the punches when Rodriguez couldn’t. Holland continued to pressure — only for Rodriguez to answer back. Holland threatened a choke on the ground, but Rodriguez escaped and got into top control. Rodriguez got into mount with a minute left, troubling Holland, but Holland escaped. Rodriguez locked up a choke but couldn’t get it.
Daniel Rodriguez Defeats Kevin Holland In Wild Back-And-Forth Battle At UFC 318
Kevin Holland may very well find himself back in the welterweight rankings after UFC 316, scoring a second-round submission victory over Vicente Luque in the pay-per-view’s opening bout.
Luque looked for an early takedown before Holland’s strikes forced Luque to abandon it. Holland appeared to wobble Luque during the first couple of minutes with an elbow. Luque responded well, but it resulted in a hematoma behind Luque’s left ear. Both men had their moments during this frame, but Holland’s physical advantages helped give him the edge.
Holland managed to catch a kick of Luque’s early in the second round, putting him to the mat. It was there where Holland put Luque away by securing a D’Arce choke and scoring the submission.
Kevin Holland Submits Vicente Luque At UFC 316
Kevin Holland tapping Vicente Luque wasn't on my bingo card.
Great performance. He threw the kitchen sink at Luque until he found his opening.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) June 8, 2025
Holland has now won two straight and three of his last five. This was Holland’s second fight back at 170 after scoring a decision win over Gunnar Nelson at UFC London.
Luque is now 2-2 in his last four and has now lost four of his last six.
Kevin Holland dropped back down to welterweight and now finds himself back in the win column after defeating Gunnar Nelson at UFC London.
Holland looked to utilize his striking to take control early before being taken down. He remained active while on the ground, including a funny scene of him holding onto Nelson’s arm when the Icelandic veteran lifted him up.
The American nearly scored a victory at the end of the round, dropping Nelson and just barely missing out on a ground-and-pound finish.
Holland continued to show a strong stand-up game, stuffing multiple takedowns and landing several hard-hitting blows. Any Nelson takedown saw the “Trailblazer” quickly shake off.
Kevin Holland Scores Decision Win Over Gunnar Nelson At UFC London
“Gunni” seemed to get a strong start to round three by not only taking Holland down early, but also getting into mount. Holland eventually managed to reverse the position and then made the most of his striking, leading to 29-28s across all three scorecards.
Kevin Holland entered tonight with four losses in his last five fights, featuring outings at both 170 and 185 pounds. His sole win in that span came in a submission against Michał Oleksiejczuk at UFC 302.
Meanwhile, this was Nelson’s first fight since submitting Bryan Barberena at UFC 286. He entered tonight off back-to-back wins having also beaten Takashi Soto.
Kevin Holland is wasting no time getting back into action, returning to welterweight to face Gunnar Nelson at the UFC Fight Night on March 22 at The O2 in London, England.
Holland confirmed the fight on Instagram by reposting a graphic of the matchup. In his caption, he wrote, “Got rid of the ex, back at Welterweight/lock in twin. Imma see you around.”
Nelson, meanwhile, continues his trend of fighting once a year in London, as he did in both 2022 and 2023. In his last outing, “Gunni” submitted Bryan Barberena in the first round. Before that, he defeated Takashi Sato after a three-year layoff. He’ll now return from two years away to face “Big Mouth.”
Holland is coming off a quick loss to Reinier de Ridder at UFC 311, where he was submitted in under four minutes. The defeat marked his second consecutive defeat, prompting a move back down to 170 pounds — a division in which he previously found success with wins over Michael Chiesa and Santiago Ponzinibbio.
With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC London on March 22 are as follows:
TJ Dillashaw, a former UFC champion, knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level and believes he can identify fighters with championship potential.
Unfortunately, he doesn’t see that potential in Kevin Holland.
The retired bantamweight recently shared his perspective following Holland’s loss to Reinier de Ridder at UFC 311 this past Saturday. Holland was submitted in the first round after struggling to counter de Ridder’s grappling, eventually succumbing to a rear-naked choke.
This critique from Dillashaw aligns with Holland’s own remarks on the JAXXON Podcast, where “Trailblazer” admitted that he doesn’t see himself becoming a UFC champion. The ex-titleholder, appearing on the same podcast, weighed in on Holland’s performance against de Ridder and his overall mindset toward the sport.
“He’s fun,” Dillashaw said. “He’s entertaining, he’s fun. … I heard him in here talking — I commented on one of the posts you guys put out there about him not caring about being a champion, saying there’s too much politics in it. Like, alright dude, that’s just an excuse because you’ll never be a champion. But he’s a very entertaining fighter. He talks a lot, but he will never be a champion, I promise you that.”
Dillashaw’s main criticism of Holland centers on what he perceives as a lack of willingness to evolve and improve his game. He pointed to specific moments during Holland’s fight with de Ridder as examples.
“It’s the truth,” Dillashaw explained. “He has some holes in his game, and we saw it here. He’s got a guy on top of him, and he keeps trying to hold him in his guard. Right now, he’s going for attacks — it’s great — but when the attacks stop working, you’ve got to escape and get back to your feet, especially when you’re better on your feet. He doesn’t even try to put his feet on the hips and push off. Later in the fight, RDR’s standing above him doing ground-and-pound, and [Holland] is trying to hold on to guard rather than create space and stand up. That’s basic stuff. It shows he doesn’t have the skills on the ground or the mindset to fight to his strengths.”
Despite the criticisms, Dillashaw clarified that there’s nothing wrong with Holland being satisfied with where he is in his career. However, he stressed that championship success requires a certain obsessive mindset — one he doesn’t see in Holland.
“You sat here and let him say he doesn’t give a shit,” Dillashaw said. “Are you going to be a champion if you don’t care? No, you ain’t ever going to be. You need to obsess about it every day of your life. You need to be OCD about training, about being the best, not losing one practice. He was talking about bringing in training partners, going home, and smoking weed. Just sitting here listening to him talk and watching his skills on TV, he doesn’t have the mindset for it. He’s just happy being on TV.”
After a shaky outing in his UFC debut, Reinier de Ridder scored an impressive victory in his first performance on pay-per-view, opening up the UFC 311 main card with a submission of Kevin Holland.
De Ridder scored a takedown in the opening seconds of round one. Despite a triangle attempt from Holland, the Dutchman was able to control the action and had success in top position. As “Trailblazer” tried to stand up, “RDR” got to Holland’s back, bringing him back to the ground and locking in a body triangle and choke for the first-round submission.
Reinier de Ridder Makes Quick Work Of Kevin Holland Via First-Round Submission At UFC 311
They call Reinier de Ridder as Dricus du Plessis 2.0#UFC311
De Ridder, the former champ-champ in ONE Championship, made his Octagon debut at UFC Vegas 100 last November, getting rocked by Gerald Meerschaert before coming back to score a third-round submission.
Holland, meanwhile, has now lost four of his last five fights.
UFC middleweight Kevin Holland is one of the most unique fighters on the promotion’s roster. We have certainly seen competitors come and go in the past who were company men to the highest degree, willing to step in and fight every weekend of the year if their bodies, and the athletic commissions allowed it, but the middleweight contender is different.
He has received some criticism in the past for being overly relaxed in fights and not taking things serious enough with the debate that if he really focused on being the best version of himself that he can possibly be, he could achieve more. Ultimately, Holland just wants to fight as much as possible in order to make as much money as possible.
Whether its his record-tying year in 2020 where he produced five wins inside the Octagon or his attitude to losing, it has always been clear that “Trailblazer” isn’t someone who is focused on one big finish line that he is pursuing. He recently spoke about this ahead of his return at UFC 311 this Saturday night where he takes on Reinier de Ridder.
Unlike someone like his opponent who wants to continue working his way up the middleweight ladder in order to compete at the very top of the sport, Holland is a prize fighter at heart and though the UFC title is a big shiny goal to strive for, he isn’t overly concerned with adding a belt to his trophy cabinet. In fact, he’s more motivated to break the promotion’s record for most fights which is currently held by the still active Jim Miller.
The 32-year old recently told ESPN that even if he did find himself in position for a shot at the title, he doesn’t know whether he would take it because it could interfere with his plans and cause him complications.
“There are too many politics that come with being a world champion,” he said. “I don’t need it. I never came to the UFC to fight for a world title. I came to get paid. I’ve talked to fighters who are world champions and ones who aren’t. I found out what some were making and how often they were competing. I wouldn’t make that much more fighting as a world champion, and I’d have to fight less often than I do now. It doesn’t make financial sense to me.”
Kevin Holland has received criticism in the past for being too relaxed and not focused enough in some big fights. This was particularly a talking point following two back-to-back losses that he suffered in consecutive months back in 2021.
2020 was a massive year for “Trailblazer” who despite the limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic, was able to tie the record for the most UFC wins in a calendar year with five. This earned him his first main event against Derek Brunson and shortly after a one-sided defeat, he jumped right into another five-round spotlight and was beaten by Marvin Vettori after replacing Darren Till.
Ahead of his return at UFC 311 this Saturday, Holland appeared on Demetrious Johnson’s MightyCast where he spoke about his weed-smoking habits and how he is able to compete at a high level despite this. Holland certainly isn’t the only UFC fighter who has to be careful depending on the rules of the athletic commissions due to his daily routines.
He told Johnson about how he looked to change his regular patterns ahead of his fight with Brunson because he had some anxiety regarding how his smoking could affect his performance. After losing that fight, he went back on the adjustments, telling “Mighty Mouse” that having accepted the Vettori fight on just nine days notice, it made sense to continue smoking throughout fight week.
“The Marvin Vettori fight, I was high as a kite,” Holland said. “Not during the fight, but all week, I was high as a kite. Five rounds didn’t feel like shit that time. The Derek Brunson fight, I was all worried, I was like, damn bro, I’m not going to smoke that much because I have five rounds, so I don’t want to be f*cking with my lungs. First time doing five rounds in a UFC fight, it could go that long, he wants to wrestle and stuff, so I was like, I’m not going to do that. Then I was like, I stressed myself out for no reason, I still lost the f*cking fight.
“So then after the next one, I was like, I’m just going to smoke. So they gave me Marvin Vettori at the last second, I was partying and everything. I didn’t feel any different. The pace got to be pushed, a lot of times when you’ve got five rounds, they don’t push the pace, I don’t push the pace, we’re just chilling.”
UFC newcomer Reinier de Ridder may not have majorly impressed in his debut, but he’s confident of leaving a mark when he makes his sophomore walk to the Octagon this month.
Their Apex clash was a competitive one, with “GM3” finding plenty of success before ultimately falling to an arm-triangle choke submission in round three. But despite having his hand raised, de Ridder’s performance seemingly left much to be desired.
During a recent appearance on MMA Junkie Radio, “The Dutch Knight” looked ahead to his next fight — a clash with the always entertaining Kevin Holland at next weekend’s UFC 311 pay-per-view.
De Ridder first sought to explain the reasons behind his lackluster debut display before asserting plans to put a demolition job on “Big Mouth” come fight night in Los Angeles on Jan. 18.
“At the end of the day, a fight is a fight, of course, and I’ve been in plenty of fights, so I know how to take care of that part of the deal,” de Ridder said. “There’s a lot going on behind the scenes, of course. I like Gerald a lot; I respected Gerald a lot coming into this one, so I didn’t go as full throttle from the bat as I will this fight. I’m just coming in to wreck this guy this time.
“I’m very happy with the fight, of course,” de Ridder continued. “Kevin is a name, and it’s a quick turnaround, so I’m very happy about that. … He’s very wild on the feet. But I’m going to put a lot of pressure on him, hit him with some good shots, take him down, choke him out, hopefully.”
While de Ridder enters the contest off two straight wins, the first of which came under the UAE Warriors banner last July, Holland has lost three of his last four.
Despite currently competing in a different weight class to Belal Muhammad, Kevin Holland believes he would not only stand a chance against the UFC welterweight champion but could finish him.
Known for his versatility across multiple divisions under the UFC banner, Holland sees things going favorably in a hypothetical fight with Muhammad compared to middleweight champ Dricus Du Plessis.
Appearing on the Overdogs Podcast, Holland shared his thoughts on how he would fare against both divisional kingpins:
“Easier fight, I have to say honestly, probably (is) Belal,” he said. “People can say what they want to say about Du Plessis — his style is ugly, his style is this, his style is that. He is a gritty motherf**ker to fight, and it doesn’t matter what you’re doing that night, you’re going to have to deal with that grit.
“I like grit, so I’m fine with that. Belal, I really honestly believe (if) I shut down the takedown, Belal gets knocked the f*ck out,” he added.
Holland’s confidence stems from his striking ability and his belief that he could neutralize Muhammad’s grappling-heavy style.
Since moving up to middleweight, Holland has had mixed results, splitting his last two fights.
He is set to face former ONE Championship double champion Reinier de Ridder at UFC 311 on Jan. 18 at the Inuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The fight could determine Holland’s trajectory in the middleweight division and whether he can secure a path toward championship contention.
Fresh off his successful Octagon debut, former two-division ONE champion Reinier de Ridder has his next assignment in the calendar for UFC 311.
After parting ways with ONE Championship earlier this year and subsequently returning to winning ways under the UAE Warriors banner, de Ridder (18-2) had his lifelong ambition of a venture to the UFC come to fruition.
And it’s not taken long for a new target to be placed in “The Dutch Knight’s” crosshairs. Per MMA Mania’s Alex Behunin, de Ridder will return at UFC 311 inside Los Angeles’ newly built Intuit Dome to do battle with the always entertaining Kevin Holland (26-12, 1 NC).
“Trailblazer,” a formerly ranked contender at both 185 and 170 pounds, has gone 1-1 since returning to middleweight this year off the back of a defeat to Michael “Venom” Page.
UFC middleweight Kevin Holland is understandably not pleased with the manner in which he fell to defeat in Salt Lake City this past weekend.
Holland had an opportunity to break into the top 10 at 185 pounds at Saturday’s UFC 307 pay-per-view event in Salt Lake City. He was matched up against Roman Dolidze after returning to the weight class in style at the expense of Michał Oleksiejczuk this past June.
While he left the Polish veteran injured after finding an armbar at UFC 302, the grappling exchanges against Dolidze saw “Trailblazer” on the receiving end of a painful night.
After attempting to break the Georgian’s control in round one, an awkward twist on the ground resulted in Holland audibly reacting to an injury. And although he managed to see out the round before clutching his rib, the bout was waved off before the second frame.
Holland Agrees With Abusive Internet Troll’s UFC 307 Take
No fighter in the sport is safe from those in the MMA community who choose to unload on them in defeat, and that’s especially the case when an injury leads to a fight’s conclusion.
Holland was evidently the recipient of such messages from trolls post-UFC 307, and he revealed an interaction with one in a recent Instagram Story.
An attached image showed DMs from a user who berated him by branding him a “sh*t fighter.” While some would either ignore the troll or perhaps hit back, Holland went a different route.
“Can’t have a response to everyone but yeah I feel like a total piece of sh*t,” Holland captioned his Instagram Story. “My bad to all the ones who put some bread on the line or told they friend I was gonna win. I’m a p*ssy.”
Holland also agreed with the troll while directly responding to them.
With the unfortunate result in Utah, “Big Mouth” has now lost three of his last four. Prior to returning to middleweight, Holland dropped back-to-back decisions opposite Jack Della Maddalena and Michael “Venom” Page.
Kevin Holland’s second fight since returning to the middleweight division ended in unfortunate circumstances at UFC 307.
“Trailblazer” met Roman Dolidze, who was able to secure a takedown in the opening round after taking this fight as a replacement for Chris Curtis.
During a scramble on the ground, Holland injured his rib and was in clear pain but was able to make it to the horn following some heavy ground-and-pound from the Georgian fighter.
In-between rounds, “Big Mouth” spoke to his coach Bob Perez about the injury as his corner asked him whether he could continue.
Referee Jason Herzog gave them some time to make the call and before the second stanza got underway, the Holland corner confirmed that he couldn’t continue.
Conor McGregor Criticizes Kevin Holland For Mid-Fight Injury Stoppage
In a quickly deleted post on X, Conor McGregor reacted to Holland’s injury and criticized the fan favorite for not attempting to continue.
“The Notorious” is no stranger to having fights stopped due to an injury and, in his opinion, “Big Mouth” should have at least tried to resume the contest before withdrawing.
The call wasn’t made by Holland, who undoubtedly would have tried to continue if the decision was up to him.
“Didn’t even f*cking try? Nah that is ridiculous! Go out again and see how is. If folds up again then you end it with the towel. Nah that’s not it for me folks. Holland is a solid veteran he well should have went out and gave it shot to see how he was. Wrong move.”
After capturing the gold in November 2023 and withstanding challenges from Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka this year, “Poatan” is next tasked with stalling the championship ambitions of Khalil Rountree to continue his reign atop the 205-pound mountain.
Title stakes will also be present for the co-main event, which will see Raquel Pennington make her first defense of the bantamweight belt opposite returning ex-divisional queen Julianna Peña.
Elsewhere on the UFC 307 card, the legendary José Aldo looks to continue his pursuit of a late-career title shot after a successful return from retirement this past May, Kayla Harrison makes her second Octagon outing, the always entertaining Kevin Holland shoots for the middleweight top 10, and former two-time strawweight queen Carla Esparza enters the cage for the final time.
Ahead of the event, all 24 fighters successfully made weight. With that, every fight has remained intact, and all that remains on Friday night is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC 307 ceremonial weigh-ins!
Check out a live stream via the official UFC YouTube channel below, commencing at 6 p.m. ET.
Two titles will be on the line at the top of the card, with Alex Pereira defending his light heavyweight belt against Khalil Rountree and Raquel Pennington staking the women’s bantamweight gold opposite Julianna Peña.
Also on the main card will be returns for UFC legend José Aldo, two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison, and fan favorite Kevin Holland.
UFC 307: Pereira vs. Rountree Weigh-In Results
UFC 307 takes place Saturday, October 5 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT.
See above for a replay of the UFC 307 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below!
Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Championship: Alex Pereira (205lbs) vs. Khalil Rountree (205lbs)
Women’s Bantamweight Championship: Raquel Pennington (135lbs) vs. Julianna Peña (134.5lbs)
Bantamweight: José Aldo (136lbs) vs. Mario Bautista (136lbs)
Middleweight: Roman Dolidze (185.5lbs) vs. Kevin Holland (185.5lbs)
Women’s Bantamweight: Ketlen Vieira (136lbs) vs. Kayla Harrison (136lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Stephen Thompson (171lbs) vs. Joaquin Buckley (170.5lbs)
Women’s Strawweight: Marina Rodriguez (115.5lbs) vs. Iasmin Lucindo (116lbs)
Lightweight: Austin Hubbard (156lbs) vs. Alexander Hernandez (156lbs)
Middleweight: César Almeida (185.5lbs) vs. Ihor Potieria (185.5lbs)
Early Preliminary Card:
Light Heavyweight: Ryan Spann (205.5lbs) vs. Ovince Saint Preux (205.5lbs)
Women’s Strawweight: Carla Esparza (115.5lbs) vs. Tecia Pennington (115lbs)
Welterweight: Court McGee (170lbs) vs. Tim Means (171lbs)
Four months on from a submission win over Michał Oleksiejczuk, “Trailblazer” has the chance to leap into the top 10 by getting the better of Roman Dolidze at the Delta Center on Saturday night.
With a victory over the Georgian, Holland could secure a place opposite a major contender next time out. But showing his strong focus on delivering entertainment, “Big Mouth” has looked to eliminate one former champ from the equation…
Holland Would Rather Fight Costa Than Adesanya: ‘At Least Paulo’s Going To Actually Come Out & Fight’
During a recent interview with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto, Holland looked ahead to his outing in the “Beehive State” and assessed what could await him after an impressive performance.
While a big-name opponent could be in the offing for “Big Mouth” should he have his hand raised at UFC 307, he’d rather it not be one particular figure inside the top five.
“Not really,” Holland said when asked if the idea of facing Adesanya gets him excited. “It would have been exciting beating him as the champ. Now he’s just some guy who can’t stop running backwards and getting clipped and throwing a lot of leg kicks.
“At the end of the day, guys fighting like that, they play the chess match where they’re just doing this (leg kicking) all night. It’s like, that’s boring,” Holland continued. “I’d rather fight Paulo Costa than fight Izzy. At least Paulo’s gonna actually come out there and fight, when he actually wants to.”
Adesanya is currently without an opponent almost two months on from his defeat to Dricus Du Plessis in Perth. He is, however, targeting a return to action before the end of 2024.
Holland, meanwhile, looks to have his hands full this weekend as he shoots for the middleweight top 10 at the expense of the ever-dangerous Dolidze.
Topping the lineup will be reigning UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira, who is tasked with getting the better of surprise challenger Khalil Rountree if he’s to record a third successful title defense in 2024.
Also set to make the walk on Saturday night will be the likes of UFC legend José Aldo, two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison, and the always entertaining Kevin Holland.
Ahead of the event, you can get some help from the group of experts at MMA News by checking out their predictions for the UFC 307 main card here.
UFC 307: Pereira vs. Rountree Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 307 (as of 10/4), courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Alex Pereira (-455) vs. Khalil Rountree (+350)
Raquel Pennington (-166) vs. Julianna Peña (+140)
José Aldo (+124) vs. Mario Bautista (-148)
Roman Dolidze (+130) vs. Kevin Holland (-155)
Ketlen Vieira (+700) vs. Kayla Harrison (-1100)
Preliminary Card:
Stephen Thompson (+180) vs. Joaquin Buckley (-218)
Marina Rodriguez (+164) vs. Iasmin Lucindo (-198)
Austin Hubbard (+130) vs. Alexander Hernandez (-155)
We’re deep into UFC 307 fight week, meaning it was recently time for the fighters set to be in action on October 5 to take to the stage and answer some questions.
Setting the stage for the headliners will be another title fight, with reigning bantamweight queen Raquel Pennington looking to record a first successful defense at the expense of returning former champ Julianna Peña.
The main card will also see the always entertaining Kevin Holland making the walk, as he shoots for the middleweight top 10 against Roman Dolidze.
As is customary during major fight weeks, the athletes took to the stage on Thursday for the pre-fight press conference. The UFC 307 edition saw every fighter set to make the walk on the main card in two days’ time with mic in hand.
Check out a full replay of the presser below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, followed by all the highlights and faceoffs.
The main event will see Alex Pereira attempt to record his third successful title defense of 2024. Following on from knockout wins over Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 and Jiří Procházka at UFC 303, “Poatan” will headline another PPV, this time against a surprise challenger in #8-ranked light heavyweight Khalil Rountree.
Co-headlining will be another titleholder in Raquel Pennington, who returns nine months on from her crowning to defend the women’s bantamweight belt against fellow TUF 18 competitor Julianna Peña, who has been out of action for over two years.
Elsewhere on the main card, the legendary José Aldo kicks off a new UFC contract, Kayla Harrison makes her sophomore Octagon appearance against the #2-ranked Ketlen Vieira, and Kevin Holland shoots for the middleweight top 10 opposite Roman Dolidze.
UFC 307: MMA News Staff Predictions
Ahead of Saturday’s UFC 307 event, Kyle Dimond, Ryan Jarrell, Thomas Albano, Pranav Pandey, and Aakrit Sharma have provided their picks for the five matchups set for the main card.
Below, you can check out the current leaderboard through six cards.
Thomas Albano (23-6)
Ryan Jarrell (17-12)
Kyle Dimond (15-14)
Andrew Starc (8-11)
Pranav Pandey (4-6)
Aakrit Sharma (2-3)
And with that, it’s time for the team’s predictions for UFC 307.
Middleweight: Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: Holland up at middleweight against a grappler just seems like a recipe for disaster. Considering that Dolidze has fought up at light heavyweight, that only makes me more confident in him being able to take Holland down and hold him there. Enough said. (Prediction: Roman Dolidze)
Ryan Jarrell: This is a tricky fight to pick because I can see paths both men have to a victory here. I think Holland is the more polished striker and could be able to get the better of Dolidze on the feet. But the Georgian is a wild man and can mix things up and make it very dangerous for Holland. I expect Dolidze to have the bigger moments in this fight. I want to say he wins via TKO but Holland is tough, so the pick is Dolidze by decision. (Prediction: Roman Dolidze)
Thomas Albano: After his win over Anthony Smith, questions emerged about Roman Dolidze: will he try to go for another fight among the middleweight contender scene (after a loss to Nassourdine Imavov)? Or will he try his hand at 205 pounds again? Ultimately, he chooses the 185 route, replacing an injured Chris Curtis against Holland. “Big Mouth” has lost four of his last seven, though he enters off a win over Michał Oleksiejczuk at UFC 302.
Nothing to say about this one other than striker vs. grappler – simple as that. If this fight gets to the ground, Holland is in trouble. Even if he’s improved his takedown defense game, Dolidze will be able to control the fight there. If Holland keeps the fight on the feet, then he’ll be able to pick Dolidze apart. Admittedly, this is a coin flip, but I think Dolidze will have the chin and endurance to outlast Holland’s strikes – and enough strength to take Holland to the ground. (Prediction: Roman Dolidze)
Pranav Pandey: From what I can gather, this matchup promises to be a true 50/50 affair, with both fighters showcasing their unique and dynamic styles that have consistently led them to success. Dolidze seemed a bit derailed after suffering the first back-to-back losses of his career, but “The Caucasian” rebounded spectacularly with a dominant performance against Smith at UFC 303. The Georgian packs some serious power in his hands and is equally adept in grappling.
As for Holland, he enjoys a notable reach advantage and displays impressive fluidity in his footwork, complemented by solid takedown defense. However, my only concern with “Trailblazer” is that, in his recent fights, he hasn’t appeared fully invested in competing and hasn’t looked as sharp as he once did. Despite this, you can never count Holland out. That said, I believe Dolidze will take this matchup, successfully keeping Holland at bay while leveraging his strengths. (Prediction: Roman Dolidze)
Aakrit Sharma: There are ways for both Holland and Dolidze to emerge victorious here. Dolidze can utilize his size and wrestling to shut down his opponent’s offense, while Holland can rely on his speed and movement to overwhelm the Georgian on the feet. Holland has only suffered one TKO loss in his career, while Dolidze has never been finished via strikes or submission. I’m predicting the fight goes the distance and Holland wins via decision. Even if he gets taken down, “Trailblazer” has the potential to pull out a submission. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Consensus: 4-1 Roman Dolidze
Women’s Bantamweight: Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: I struggle to see how Vieira is able to make this fight competitive once Harrison gets hold of her. The big question ahead of her debut at UFC 300 was making bantamweight and, sure, it likely wasn’t an easy cut, but she made the weight and looked good inside the Octagon. The bantamweight division needs a big performance from her and a just as important post-fight interview. I don’t see anyone causing her too many problems in this division right now. I predict she’ll find a second-round TKO in Utah. (Prediction: Kayla Harrison)
Ryan Jarrell: The odds in this fight make it pretty hard to go against the American. We all know the insane skillset that Harrison possesses. I do think Vieira is a live underdog here, and I can see her surprising the masses and pulling off the upset. But that doesn’t mean I feel confident enough to pick her to beat the two-time Olympic gold medalist. Give me Harrison to win via second-round submission. (Prediction: Kayla Harrison)
Thomas Albano: There are plenty of people who feel Harrison should have been the one challenging for the women’s bantamweight title this weekend. But Peña played her cards right and it paid off. So Harrison, just in her second UFC fight, has to go against another dangerous name in the women’s 135-pound division in Vieira. The Brazilian, meanwhile, has won three of her last four, though she hasn’t fought since the summer of 2023. Viera’s most recent win came against Pannie Kianzad, and her other victories were decisions over Holm and Miesha Tate. Her only loss in this span? Raquel Pennington – the current champ.
Stylistically, this could be a really good fight considering Vieira, with her own skillset in judo and jiu-jitsu, could try to have a grappling battle with the two-time Olympic gold medalist – or try to use striking to counter Harrison’s game. That said, Harrison is just so good all around, putting that on display against Holm after building herself up with a pair of title wins in the PFL (and coming just short of a third). Harrison should be able to win this one and lock up a guaranteed shot against the Pennington vs. Peña winner. (Prediction: Kayla Harrison)
Pranav Pandey: I think this could be one of the most lopsided matchups we’ll witness on Saturday night. Vieira is undeniably tough and has a solid grappling foundation, but the real question is whether she can keep someone like Harrison grounded — and if so, for how long? In my opinion, Harrison’s sheer dominance is likely too overwhelming for the Brazilian to manage, making it an uphill battle for Vieira from the start. The two-time Olympic gold medalist will bring a fierce intensity no matter where the fight unfolds. Whether it’s on the feet, on the mat, or anywhere in between, her dynamic style is set to take control at every turn. (Prediction: Kayla Harrison)
Aakrit Sharma: Now that we know Harrison can make weight for the UFC women’s bantamweight division, I do not doubt she’ll be champion by the end of 2025, especially in Nunes’ absence. Harrison should rely on the same game plan that helped her win her UFC debut against Holly Holm, the wrestling. However, fighting at altitude following a brutal weight cut could be a problem for the Olympian and she should avoid trading shots with Vieira as the Brazilian possesses decent power and accuracy on the feet for the division.
Although Vieira boasts 93 percent takedown defense in the UFC, she’s yet to face someone as powerful and experienced as Harrison. Thanks to the constant takedown threat, Vieira might not be as comfortable and fluid on the feet as well, helping Harrison get an unexpected KO victory. (Prediction: Kayla Harrison)
Consensus: 5-0 Kayla Harrison
Bantamweight: José Aldo vs. Mario Bautista
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: Bautista has looked impressive on this winning streak but the Aldo that showed up against Jonathan Martinez looked like he hadn’t lost a step. I still think he’s going to be too much for the guys that aren’t in the top tier of the division — guys like Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili that he has already lost to. I haven’t seen anything from Bautista to make me think he’s at that level yet. (Prediction: José Aldo)
Ryan Jarrell: Father Time has a pretty good track record unless your Tom Brady. But this is not football, and Bautista is a hungry, young Lion looking to make his mark against the legend in Aldo. This fight will be very competitive and Aldo will have his moments, but I believe Bautista is diverse enough to win a decision in what could be Fight of the Night. (Prediction: Mario Bautista)
Thomas Albano: Just when we thought Aldo’s time in the Octagon was done, he comes back earlier this year to put on a solid performance against Martinez. Now, Aldo gets a lower-ranked contender in Bautista. Despite the Brazilian’s age and brief retirement, he has won four of five fights he’s had since December 2020. The only loss in that span came against current bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili. Bautista, meanwhile, is sporting a six-fight win streak that includes submissions of Brian Kelleher and Benito Lopez, as well as a decision over Ricky Simón in his most recent outing.
While I won’t argue much with anyone who feels Bautista’s ranked status, along with him being the younger fighter, leads to their prediction for him. But for me, it’s hard to pick against the “King of Rio” when he continues to put on the showings that he does and competes with the best in the game still. Aldo may likely never be a UFC champion again, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a top-quality fighter anymore with the way he’s performing. Add that this is a big step up for Bautista, and it’s hard for me to go against Aldo here. (Prediction: José Aldo)
Pranav Pandey: There’s no slowing down the “King of Rio.” After his return at UFC 301 following a hiatus, Aldo reminded everyone exactly why he’s held in such legendary esteem. The Brazilian icon masterfully dismantled Martinez, showcasing his trademark distance control and fluid in-and-out striking, leaving his opponent with little room to counter. Despite entering the sunset years of his illustrious career, the former 145-pound kingpin remains fully engaged, showing no signs of losing his edge. But while it’s tough for me to go against Aldo, Bautista presents a serious challenge.
The American brings a well-rounded grappling game, seamlessly blending feints with takedowns, and has been on an impressive run lately. The real question, though, is whether Bautista can apply enough pressure to disrupt Aldo’s rhythm. I believe he can. Bautista’s youth, freshness, and relentless pace, coupled with the potential impact of Utah’s altitude, could very well wear Aldo down and make it difficult for him to keep up with such a high-octane style. (Prediction: Mario Bautista)
Aakrit Sharma: This is my FOTN contender for UFC 307. The Bautista that showed up in the third round against Simón was truly special. The pace, the volume, the accuracy, and the timing would trouble anyone in the UFC men’s bantamweight division. Bautista is dangerous because he has several tools in his arsenal. He can kick, strike, and most importantly, hurt you with knees and elbows. For the rising American prospect, the path to victory should be to keep Aldo in the clinch and land in the pocket as much as possible. He has a great ground game and takedown defense, but it’s unlikely to work against Aldo, who also boasts one of the highest takedown defense rates in UFC history.
The “King of Rio” can shut Bautista down if he maintains distance and keeps attacking the legs. Stylistically, I don’t think Aldo is a good matchup for Bautista and I’m picking the Brazilian to win via decision. Fighting one of the best fighters of all time after beating your first ranked opponent in a division is a huge bump in competition, and Bautista might suffer a fate similar to Martinez, Rob Font, Pedro Munhoz, and Marlon Vera. (Prediction: José Aldo)
Consensus: 3-2 José Aldo
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Title: Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña
Images: UFC/Zuffa LLC
Kyle Dimond: This one is a really tough one to call. I think Peña at her best is probably better than Pennington, and I think I’d lean that way if it was over three rounds. This is one I’ve gone back and forth on and I can totally see another grinding performance from Pennington to retain the title. But, I’m gonna back Peña. My major concern is that she doesn’t have a win over anyone in the UFC righ tnow. However, many of Pennington’s wins haven’t been massively impressive either, so maybe that will level things out. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Ryan Jarrell: The dislike these two ladies have for one another will add to the build-up of this fight. However, I think the bout itself will be somewhat of a snooze fest. Mostly, because I believe Peña will dominate the wrestling and grappling exchanges and spend a lot of time in top control. I expect “The Venezuelan Vixen” to win a decision here. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Thomas Albano: It’s not the most popular choice of fight, but there’s credit that has to be given out. The unpopular manner Pennington won the women’s bantamweight championship at the start of the year does not fall all on her. And though Peña has not fought since UFC 277, and has complained about not receiving a trilogy fight with Amanda Nunes, she’s got another opportunity at the title now. In fairness, Peña did score one of MMA’s greatest upsets when she finished Nunes at UFC 269. There is certainly merit to her game. Pennington, meanwhile, was pretty dominant when she won the then-vacant title at UFC 297 in a fight with Mayra Bueno Silva that went the distance – a fight that honestly showed Bueno Silva did not belong there.
These two ladies are two of the best that the UFC’s 135-pound division has to offer. Both these two also have history with one another as members of Team Tate during season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter – which Peña won, with Pennington falling in the semifinals. Pennington is the defending champion and is on a six-fight win streak, but I feel that Peña just has more power, a better well-rounded skillset, and better wins and experience in terms of competition. That may probably play out on Saturday night with “The Venezuelan Vixen” getting the gold back. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Pranav Pandey: This matchup between Pennington and Peña is one that, in my view, could swing in either direction at any moment. Pennington, the reigning champion, comes in riding the wave of a five-fight win streak. Known for her relentless pace, “Rocky” brings a high-volume striking game that methodically wears down her opponents over the course of a fight. However, Pennington’s lack of knockout power often pushes her bouts to go the distance, which could be a disadvantage against someone as tough and relentless as Peña.
“The Venezuelan Vixen” is a durable powerhouse with an unwavering pace, constantly pressuring her adversaries with ceaseless activity. She’s not the type to let her opponents settle into their rhythm easily, and against someone like Pennington, she’ll be looking to turn this into a gritty war. The way I see it, Pennington will undoubtedly have her moments of success, but Peña possesses the full arsenal needed to prevail and reclaim the championship. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Aakrit Sharma: As a women’s UFC fighter, it’s hard to have a bigger flex than beating Nunes. However, the rematch being a complete shutout definitely hurt Peña’s brand, with many questioning this title shot against Pennington. I do believe Peña to be tough and skilled enough to grab the belt from “Rocky,” though.
“The Venezuelan Vixen” should benefit greatly from setting the pace of the fight early on and mixing things up, as taking down the UFC women’s bantamweight champion won’t be an easy task. She’ll have to give the champ several things to worry about for winning on the scorecards as I don’t think either of them will be finished. My pick for this one is Peña winning by decision. (Prediction: Julianna Peña)
Consensus: 5-0 Julianna Peña
UFC Light Heavyweight Title: Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree
Images: UFC.com
Kyle Dimond: I like watching Rountree a lot. His striking style is tons of fun to watch. He also certainly has the power and skill to knock anyone in this division out. I would have liked to have seen the Jamahal Hill fight first, though, because frankly, I’m not sure I could back anyone to beat Pereira when their best win is Anthony Smith.
Rountree is dangerous, but when you’re talking about Pereira, you’re talking about an all-time great in kickboxing. “Poatan” could get caught if he’s overly aggressive, but I think he’ll pick Rountree apart before ending it in the second. (Prediction: Alex Pereira)
Ryan Jarrell: I’m excited for this fight. We all know the power that both of these guys possess. It should make for an exciting finish one way or another. As much as I like Rountree, I just don’t see him as a champion. I think the four-inch reach advantage that Pereira has will be the difference in this fight. Give me “Poatan” via second-round TKO. (Prediction: Alex Pereira)
Thomas Albano: I don’t want to come off like a Rountree hater – he has seemed like a cool dude in the interviews that he does. And stylistically, this fight can be fun considering how these two can be creative and powerful as strikers. Having said that (and yes, I know the UFC’s ranking system is skewed, but nevertheless…) why is the #8 contender getting a title shot? I truly feel that the UFC probably wanted Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway for this card. But with that fight moved to UFC 308, and the UFC probably wanting a better headliner than Pennington vs. Peña, they called up Pereira to save their butts (again).
Pereira has retained the light heavyweight title against Jiří Procházka and Jamahal Hill. Rountree’s win streak, meanwhile, has seen him go through the likes of Smith, Chris Daukaus, and Karl Roberson. This will be a calculated kickboxing-style matchup as both men look for the key opportunity to land a devastating shot on the other. Unfortunately for Rountree, Pereira’s strikes are just too powerful, and he’s dominated against much stronger competition. You’ll see a frenzy if Rountree gets the win (lest anything else in the second half of 2024 UFC be crazier), but Pereira should probably take this in the first six minutes or so. (Prediction: Alex Pereira)
Pranav Pandey: From where I stand, this clash is one of the most direct and explosive matchups on the UFC 307 card. With both Pereira and Rountree being strikers, I don’t foresee any room for grappling or takedowns coming into play. Rountree has proven time and again that he can weather the storm against elite-tier kickboxers, and respond with even greater force. “The War Horse” boasts a lethal kicking arsenal, complemented by knockout power in his fists. However, ‘Poatan’ is far from an ordinary kickboxer, having carved a path through several former champions during his brief yet immensely successful tenure in the Octagon.
“Poatan’s” exceptional fight IQ and thunderous striking ability allow him to methodically dismantle his opponents. Rountree will need to close the distance early to nullify Pereira’s reach, but doing so may leave him dangerously exposed to Pereira’s counters, particularly his devastating left hook. I believe Pereira’s significant reach advantage, along with the unrelenting ferocity in his attacks, will overwhelm Rountree and make it incredibly difficult for him to land his best shots. The Brazilian’s calculated pressure and ability to dictate the fight’s tempo will likely cause Rountree to unravel under the onslaught. (Prediction: Alex Pereira)
Aakrit Sharma: Yes, Rountree can pull off a huge upset against Pereira if he lands a good shot. Will he, though? “Poatan” just looks unstoppable at the moment, and it seems to be a matter of time before he finds his opponent’s chin one way or another. Considering Glover Teixeira corners and trains Pereira, I actually won’t be surprised if the UFC light heavyweight champ shoots for a takedown and showcases some of his wrestling. Considering he’s already mastered striking and kickboxing, I’m sure Pereira focuses a lot on filling the holes in his game to prepare for opponents like Magomed Ankalaev.
Rountree’s a great striker and his momentum through a five-fight win streak is undeniable. “The War Horse” can trouble the champ with leg kicks and powerful shots, but I simply don’t see anyone taking out Pereira on the feet. (Prediction: Alex Pereira)
Consensus: 5-0 Alex Pereira
That’ll do it for our UFC 307 staff picks! What do you think? Do your picks look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the full UFC 307 card below.
Main Card:
Light Heavyweight Championship: Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree
Women’s Bantamweight Championship: Raquel Pennington vs. Julianna Peña
Bantamweight: José Aldo vs. Mario Bautista
Women’s Bantamweight: Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison
Middleweight: Roman Dolidze vs. Kevin Holland
Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Stephen Thompson vs. Joaquin Buckley
Women’s Strawweight: Marina Rodriguez vs. Iasmin Lucindo
Lightweight: Austin Hubbard vs. Alexander Hernandez
Middleweight: César Almeida vs. Ihor Potieria
Early Preliminary Card:
Light Heavyweight: Ryan Spann vs. Ovince Saint Preux
Women’s Strawweight: Carla Esparza vs. Tecia Pennington
Welterweight: Court McGee vs. Tim Means
Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 307!
Kevin Holland is one of the most active fighters on the UFC roster and that’s something that he’s very proud of.
“Big Mouth” is back in action this weekend at UFC 307, where he will face Roman Dolidze up at middleweight.
Following his bout in Salt Lake City this upcoming weekend, he will have fought 18 times since 2020 which means he has fought, on average, every three months over the past four years.
Holland spoke about this during his media day interviews where he was asked what kind of legacy he wants to leave behind.
He used this opportunity to call out the fighters who complain about their pay but aren’t as active.
“That I’m an active m***********. At the end of the day it’s like I did a little electrical work before, my Gran and Grandpa own a janitorial business so I understood the 9-5 and clocking in hours and getting done with the job to get paid. Half these people running around talking about, ‘We don’t get paid enough, we don’t get paid enough, we don’t get paid enough.’ You don’t even fight enough. It’s like at the end of the day, you wanna get paid for s*** that you don’t do. F****** sounds like a bum to me. So just remember I wasn’t the bum like the rest of these guys.”
Kevin Holland rips "bums" on UFC roster who complain about fighter pay.
Social Media Reacts To Kevin Holland’s Comments On Fighter Pay & Activity
This comment caused some controversy online with people both agreeing with Holland and arguing against his point that fighters who complain about pay should simply fight more often.
The following post from Al Zullino (Phre on X) shows why that might not be an option for every fighter on the roster considering the sheer number of athletes that want to be active.
There aren't enough events for everybody to “fight enough”.
~44 events per year ~12 bouts per event ~528 bouts per year ~1056 spots available per year
With +700 athletes on the roster, that's ~1.50 fights/year for each athlete. https://t.co/u4NlYgZkv2
This conversation continued with Zullino posting several more times to explain why some of the counterpoints to his initial statement aren’t relevant.
Many responses pointed to things like the UFC being contractually obliged to offer a fighter three bouts per year but as Zullino explained, fulfilling that demand if every signed fighter agreed to take those offers, isn’t a possibility.
"You're counting out injuries!"
I'm not! Holland is. How are injured fighters supposed to make a living if they can't work? If I'm at my desk at work and my chair breaks and I get injured I get paid by insurance and keep getting my salary.
People count out injuries too fast. I would say a considerable porcentage of the roster is injured at all times. And those injuries sometimes can go from 3 months to a whole year of recovery. Every available fighter has about 2 fights a year at least.
You think those are counterpoints but we're basically saying the same thing. Fighters, for one reason (no room) or another (injuries, etc) can't fight enough to gain enough money.
In the co-main event of UFC 307, reigning women’s bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington puts her title on the line against former 135-pound queen Julianna Peña.
Pennington is set to make her first title defense since capturing the belt by unanimous decision against Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 297 in January. The title was vacant at the time, following Amanda Nunes’ retirement.
Meanwhile, Peña is making her long-awaited return to the Octagon after an extended hiatus of over two years. She famously pulled off a major upset with a second-round submission victory over “The Lioness” at UFC 269, only to fall short in their rematch seven months later at UFC 277, losing by unanimous decision.
The undercard of this pay-per-view spectacle will feature an intriguing welterweight showdown between the seasoned Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and the surging Joaquin Buckley. Thompson last competed at UFC 296, where he suffered a second-round submission loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov. On the other hand, “New Mansa” is riding a wave of momentum with a four-fight win streak since dropping down to 170 pounds. His most recent victory came by decision against Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Fight Night St. Louis this past May.
Elsewhere on the card, Kevin Holland is slated to face Roman Dolidze in an intense middleweight showdown. Announced earlier this year, meanwhile, was a clash between undefeated featherweight Movsar Evloev and former bantamweight titleholder Aljamain Sterling.
With these additions to the card, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City on Oct. 5 are as follows:
Alex Pereira (C) vs. Khalil Rountree (light heavyweight championship main event)
The UFC 307 pay-per-view this fall has its latest confirmed fight, and it’ll see Chris Curtis defend his middleweight ranking against the always entertaining Kevin Holland.
While not confirmed, the promotion is expected to stage its October 5 numbered event in Salt Lake City, Utah. Should that come to fruition, Curtis and Holland will be among those taking to the cage in high altitude.
— IridiumSportsAgency (@TeamIridiumISA) July 29, 2024
Holland Targets Second Straight Middleweight Win Against Ranked Curtis
When they throw down in a few months’ time, Curtis and Holland will be doing so off the back of different fortunes last time out.
The matchup marks a comeback from injury for Curtis (31-11, 1 NC), who played his part in a Fight of the Year contender opposite Brendan Allen earlier this year before tearing his hamstring in the closing moments of the five-round main event. While confident he deserved the nod and his second straight triumph months on from a win over Marc-André Barriault in Canada, two of the judges ultimately ruled the way of “All In.”
“Trailblazer’s” year didn’t begin on the right foot as he fell out of the welterweight rankings owing to a setback against the debuting Michael “Venom” Page at UFC 299 in Miami. With that following a defeat to Jack Della Maddalena, Holland left his losing skid at 170 pounds and returned to the middleweight division on short notice at UFC 302 last month.
Should the promotion look to keep him at middleweight post-UFC 302, Kevin Holland has a matchup in mind.
Holland made the most of a short-notice opportunity on this past weekend’s pay-per-view main card, bouncing back from consecutive defeats to Jack Della Maddalena and Michael “Venom” Page.
In his return to 185 pounds, “Trailblazer” made quick work of Michał Oleksiejczuk. After being dropped early, Holland was quick to lock his Polish opponent into a gruesome armbar.
Given his ambidexterity when it comes to weight classes, Holland is open to making the walk at either welterweight or middleweight next time out. If the UFC favors the latter, though, “Big Mouth” would like to revisit a matchup…
Holland Wants To Test Improved Wrestling In Vettori Rematch
During a backstage interview with Sportsnet’s Aaron Bronsteter at Newark’s Prudential Center, Holland outlined his intentions to make a quick turnaround and highlighted opponent options at both 170 and 185 pounds.
“At ’85, there’s probably a lot of guys I’d like to fight. I’d like a Marvin Vettori rematch if I’m gonna stay at ’85,” Holland said. “I don’t know what he did his last fight. I think I’ve got my wrestling takedown defense a little bit better. You know, I finished him (Oleksiejczuk) off my back. My jiu-jitsu just got better. I don’t know, I just wanna fight.”
Having worked on his takedown defense and ground game in the years since, Holland evidently wants a go at avenging that result down the line.
Vettori’s current status is unclear. The Italian was set for a main event against Brendan Allen this past April but withdrew through injury after a “freak accident.” It remains to be seen when he’ll be able to compete again, and whether it would fit in with Holland’s plan for a quick return post-UFC 302.
