After being knocked down inside the first minute, Holland was able to quickly recover and lock up an armbar submission from the bottom.
From there, the position only got worse for Oleksiejczuk who refused to tap as Holland controlled the arm and spoke to him throughout.
Gradually realizing that his opponent wasn’t going to give him the win without doing significant damage first, “Big Mouth” dialled up the intensity to force an end to the fight through a technical submission.
Holland has produced some incredible finishes during his time in the promotion and will always be a fan favorite but he has struggled to compete with the very best.
McCarthy Questions Whether Kevin Holland Is Mean Enough For Top Level Of MMA
During a recent episode of the Weighing In podcast, Josh Thomson and “Big” John McCarthy recapped all of the action from UFC 302.
Both men were impressed by Holland’s display as he once again proved his ability to compete at both welterweight and middleweight.
However, McCarthy noticed one thing in this fight that could prove to be something that holds Holland back when it comes to competing at the highest level.
The way he only really put the pressure on the arm of his opponent after it became clear that he wasn’t going to tap was compared to fighters in the past that have tried to take the arm home with them as soon as they got the hold locked in.
“I’m going to be honest about this, the one attribute he doesn’t have, he’s not mean. He’s not, because I’m telling you right now, Frank Mir had that arm, you know just watching that fight, he’s sat there and he’s kind of like trying to put a little more pressure, a little more pressure like it is training and kind of looks up (at the referee) like ‘Hey!’ and finally says ‘Okay, I’m gonna have to do this, I’m sorry’ and puts it under his arm.
“All I’m telling you is Frank Mir, dude as soon as he grabbed that arm, he’s trying to take it off of your body. Carlos Condit, he’s trying to take it off your body. Josh Barnett, he’s trying to take it off your body. He wants to take that thing, pull it off your body and smack you in the head with it.”
Following his return to the winner’s circle at UFC 302, Kevin Holland named Joaquin Buckley as one option for his next fight.
Holland entered this past weekend’s pay-per-view event at Newark’s Prudential Center on a losing skid, having dropped consecutive decisions to Jack Della Maddalena and Michael “Venom” Page down at 170 pounds.
After noting a willingness to do battle at either welterweight or middleweight, “Big Mouth” threw out the name of Joaquin Buckley as a possible opponent option post-UFC 302.
“Whatever the UFC wants me to do. I’m pretty sure there’s somebody that needs their ass whooped,” Holland said. “Joaquin Buckley keeps running his mouth. Maybe I have to go whoop him. That is my son. You know, you gotta always keep your kids in line.”
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) June 2, 2024
Holland and Buckley previously collided at the Apex back in 2020, where the former recorded a knockout 32 seconds into the third and final round. The result was the second on a record run of five straight wins in that calendar year for “Trailblazer.”
Buckley subsequently rose to prominence by delivering an all-time great knockout against Impa Kasanganay. After his progress at 185 pounds stalled, “New Mansa” now finds himself ranked at welterweight following victories over Vicente Luque and Nursulton Ruziboev in 2024.
“Trailblazer” quickly returned to the win column, landing a submission victory over Oleksiejczuk that will no doubt go down as one of the most gruesome in recent memory.
Holland On UFC 302 Armbar: ‘I’m Going To Have To Do A Full-Blown Break…’
During his post-fight press conference, Holland looked back on the finishing sequence of his clash with Oleksiejczuk, which came just over 90 seconds into the bout.
“Big Mouth” recalled hearing a quick pop of the arm, which wasn’t enough to draw a tap out of “Hussar.” Holland joked that responsibility for the injury lies with referee Herb Dean, who dismissed his initial calls to halt the fight before applying further pressure on Oleksiejczuk’s arm.
“Herb Deanâs fault. I asked him to stop it a little earlier, but Herb Dean was like, ‘Youâve got to go a little bit longer.’ Alright, cool, cool,” Holland said jokingly. “When I first put him in the armbar, I heard the pop. After that, it wasnât popping again and I was like, Iâm going to have to do a full-blown break. So I kept trying to do a little chihuahua scoot, get myself underneath there and then hit a good pull after that. But the guy is tough as nails.
“He hit me with a good shot. Tough guy… I fought John Phillips for my first UFC win, and I had a feeling he would be like John Phillips but better,” Holland continued. “I definitely want to win the fight because I like both of my checks, but (I wish) no harm to him. I hope heâs okay and I hope itâs truly not broken because he seemed to be a cool guy.”
The result marked Holland’s first victory since a first-round D’arce choke against Michael Chiesa at UFC 291 last July. Defeats to Jack Della Maddalena and Page subsequently halted his charge up the welterweight ladder.
Having rebounded up at 185 pounds, it remains to be seen which division will stage the 31-year-old’s Texan’s next outing. But given his penchant for high activity, it likely won’t be long until we find out.
Headlining was lightweight kingpin Islam Makhachev, who put his gold on the line against an established 155-pound contender for the first time. If he was to tie Khabib Nurmagomedov and Benson Henderson’s record for defenses in the division, the Dagestani had to prevent a potential fairytale ending to the career of Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier.
Intrigue was also on the co-headliner, which saw former middleweight champion Sean Strickland enter the cage for the first time since losing his title to Dricus Du Plessis this past January. In his way of a quick rebound victory was the always dangerous (and unpredictable, both verbally and physically) Paulo Costa.
Elsewhere, notable names like Kevin Holland, Randy Brown, Jailton Almeida, and Bassil Hafez all looked to leave Prudential Center with victories. But did they come together to form an entertaining night of fights?
Let’s find out with all the positives and negatives from UFC 302.
To the surprise of absolutely nobody, the promotion’s new glove design did absolutely (excuse my French) f**k all to solve the main issue that has long been visible at practically every event.
No matter how many adjectives and long, technical words the UFC put in its announcement of the new design prior to UFC 300, the absence of the word “poke” was immediately pointed to as a concern.
And in a story of irony that even Jim Carrey couldn’t have played up, poor Mitch Raposo had to absorb multiple eye pokes from AndrĂŠ Lima.
Spending thousands on a new glove design that solves issues people hadn’t even thought of instead of, you know, just fixing the problem everyone is aware of is quite something from the UFC.
Also, you’re not getting away without a word, too, Herb Dean.
If I hear the words “hard warning” followed by no point deduction after another foul, I’m going to lose my mind. Not only did Lima deliver another poke, he then completed an egregious fence grab while Raposo attempted to take him down.
Superb start to the night.
Negative – Don’t Let It Go To The Scorecards
Whenever I write negatives on judging, I always starts with a note on how I’m among those more inclined to defend the work of those cageside than criticize and believe the debate surrounding judging is largely born out of the fanbase’s lack of understanding regarding the scoring criteria.
The idea that the American won that fight is ludicrous to me following initial viewing, and had another judge followed suit, it would have gone down as a sure-fire robbery â given that I usually mock those who cry robbery after decisions, I don’t use that word lightly.
One thing I will say, however, is the talented Aaron Bronsteter saw things a lot closer than us at home did. While sat behind a judge, the Canadian reporter perceived the bout as a tight affair, reminding us just how different the in-person experience can be.
From one angle cageside, judging isn’t an easy job. It seems like a major flaw of MMA that fights can appear so different depending on whether someone is watching from a judge’s seat or from home.
For what it's worth, I am sitting directly behind one of the judges' positions and not watching the broadcast.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) June 1, 2024
Hammering home the suggestion that UFC 302 fighters should have been particularly keen to find a finish were a pair of 30-27 scorecards for Bassil Hafez a couple of fights later. There’s no doubt in mind that Hafez won, but there’s also little doubt that Mickey Gall’s work in round three was enough to be rewarded.
Oh, and honorable mentions for 29-28 CĂŠsar Almeida, 30-27 Grant Dawson, and 49-46 Paulo Costa (Tirelli, again).
Thankfully, no fighter walked away with a wrong result. But it’s only a matter of time until someone does.
Positive – WAR
The UFC 302 preliminary card was held in decision city. Thankfully, while we did get an utter snoozefest in Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki, we got the opposite when Hafez and Gall did battle.
Topping the early prelims, Hafez proved that his surprisingly strong performance in a short-notice debut against the high-ranked Jack Della Maddalena was no fluke, walking Gall down and landing some heavy blows across the duration of three rounds.
And for Gall, while he may have lost a third straight fight, he was coming from a lengthy layoff following back surgery, and his late rally suggested that he’s set to be a tough out for up-and-coming welterweights moving forward.
The highlight of this fight was the third and final round, with the pair channeling their inner Max Holloway to throw down with reckless abandon in the dying seconds.
Violence was fairly sporadic throughout UFC 302. It was frequent in this clash.
I’m not a religious person, but I pray to whatever higher power may be out there when heavyweights enter the Octagon. What do I ask for? A quick finish and the prevention of a classic full-distance slog.
Of all the people to answer my prayers, Jailton Almeida was a turn up for the books.
That surprise is an exaggeration, of course. Prior to his showdown with Derrick Lewis last November, “Malhadinho” was a prolific and destructive finisher. But five rounds of nothing against “The Black Beast” and a similar strategy against Curtis Blaydes prior to being hammer-fisted to a defeat changed the narrative.
Having had no finishes up to that point and just witnessed close to 15 minutes of control from Dawson, Almeida’s finish was as needed to boost UFC 302 as it was to reinvigorate his career.
Death, taxes, Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier having no clue how fights are scored.
Judging is far from perfect in MMA. Dave Tirelli displayed that much with his work on Saturday night. But equally as worrying as some unjustifiable scorecards is the utter tripe spouted by the UFC commentary team.
It’s nothing new. For years, the likes of Cormier and Dominick Cruz have shown that despite their illustrious fighting careers, they still have zero idea on what the judges are actually looking for. That’s left the latter believing a cut sustained in a later round could influence the scoring of an entire fight.
“DC,” meanwhile, is a serial offender when it comes to nonsense about control time, along with Rogan. They were at it again during UFC 302, suggesting that a near fight-ending choke and clean elbow from the bottom on the side of Joe Solecki wasn’t enough to overcome Grant Dawson’s control time, which came with limited offense.
That is, of course, not true.
The frustrating part here was that only one judge rewarded Solecki for a clear advantage in effective offense that could lead to the conclusion of the fight â as is laid out in the scoring criteria. The immediate weighs more than the cumulative, and that made round one clear for Solecki, in my eyes. Even if you are going to justify the round going to Dawson, you simply can’t do so by mentioning control time.
Oh, but how Rogan and Cormier’s tune changed when it was a Russian laying on top instead of an American.
Roman Kopylov followed his early success in the striking realm by smothering CĂŠsar Almeida on the ground. It was during this exchange when the pair stated that control time wasn’t enough and began discussing standups.
Wouldn’t be clear and obvious bias would it, boys?
The sooner Laura Sanko â the only commentator who seems willing to do her job correctly â is made a permanent fixture cageside, the better.
Negative – Gasper Oliver
I’ve seen some shoddy refereeing in my time, but what Gasper Oliver did at UFC 302 really takes the cake.
The main card opened with Randy Brown vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos. And in a further advert for the promotion’s new glove design, the Brazilian was the victim of a deep eye poke in round one.
Referee Oliver correctly separated the pair and paused the action. Seconds later, though, he randomly insisted the fight continue, denying Zaleski dos Santos any time to recover. When the capoeira specialist endured another poke shortly after, Oliver didn’t even go as far as to stop the bout.
Jason Herzog was fortunately on hand to educate the third man inside the Octagon between rounds, but referees requiring in-cage tuition isn’t exactly encouraging.
Welcome, Gasper Oliver, to the Kerry Hatley tier of officiating.
Gasper Oliver is only reffing until his screenplay gets picked up.
I’m sure whoever decided to bump Alex Morono vs. Niko Price 2 to the main card had their reasons. What those reasons are, however, is unclear.
Originally set for PPV was Almeida vs. Romanov. I’d normally be praising a late switch that saw heavyweights taken off the main slate, but what we got instead was a second chapter to a matchup that delivered an unenjoyable 15 minutes of viewing.
At this point in their careers, power is not something either Morono or Price have in spades. With that, as the pair fatigued and actually resembled the kind of slog I was concerned about seeing from the heavyweights, any vulnerability was offset by what looked to essentially be pillow-fisted punches.
The main card started well with an entertaining scrap from a pair of high-level welterweights. Insert the opposites of “entertaining” and “high-level” and you’ll have an accurate description of the main card’s sophomore bout.
Nothing makes you question your own brain quite like putting a grim injury down as a positive. That’s MMA, folks…
Kevin Holland by way of submission was a strong possibility heading into his short-notice middleweight return at UFC 302. But Holland by way of one of the most gruesome armbars in recent memory was not necessarily on many people’s bingo cards.
Things looked a little scary for “Trailblazer” when he was dropped by a hard MichaĹ Oleksiejczuk left hand. But after he quickly got ahold of the Polish fighter’s arm (to which Oleksiejczuk had the reaction time of a tortoise), he quickly transitioned from on the ropes to on the ascendancy.
I’ll be honest, as Holland twisted his opponent’s arm in unnatural ways, I looked away. Through a gap in my fingers, I did see the moment Oleksiejczuk’s arm bent, snapped, hyperextended â whatever form of mangled it was in. The fact he still didn’t tap is ludicrous.
On a card that had just one finish up to that point, Holland’s quick and violent submission was a welcome moment of shock.
Should we really expect anything different when Sean Strickland fights?
Strickland is a perennial point-fighter, yet we hear shouts of “get ready for a bloodbath” and “we’re gonna go in that cage and try to kill each other for your entertainment” at every press conference.
At this point, can fans just laugh instead of cheer? Because the notion of “Tarzan” going in and brawling anyone is as likely as Joe Biden getting a walkout alongside Dana White at a UFC event.
But, Strickland is extremely good at what he does. No matter what comes back at him (in this instance, not much), it’s impossible not to give him credit for creating a style and implementing it well time and time again.
It’s just a shame that style is among the dullest in the UFC.
Dustin Poirier may not have completed his story in the way he and many had wished for, but the UFC 302 main event was not a bad way to go out.
That’s if “The Diamond” has reached the end, of course. He was noncommittal post-fight as he came to terms with his third failed attempt at reaching the undisputed throne in the UFC lightweight division.
Of his championship performances, none were more impressive than his effort in Newark. “The Diamond’s” improvements since being submitted by Khabib Nuyrmagomedov and Charles Oliveira was evident, and he certainly had Makhachev on the ropes at times.
The Russian standout, however, proved to be too good. And while some choose to detract from his reign owing to the competitive nature of Saturday’s headliner, Makhachev’s performance was more than impressive.
That’s not least on the feet, where the champ pieces Poirier up at times with beautiful combinations. The Makhachev and Khabib debate rages on, but there’s little doubt who has the edge on the feet.
Ultimately, Poirier fell victim to an ankle pick and D’arce choke late on. But after a valiant performance in defeat, the Louisianan cemented himself as a legend of the sport who doesn’t need the undisputed crown on his rĂŠsumĂŠ to deserve top plaudits.
Oh, and after a lackluster event, what a way to finish things off.
While the bantamweight gold was on the line at the venue 13 months ago, this weekend saw Islam Makhachev stake his lightweight title against fan favorite Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier.
Elsewhere on the lineup, Kevin Holland made a successful short-notice return to 185 pounds, Randy Brown made a push for the welterweight rankings at the expense of Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, and Jailton Almeida secured a rebound win following his first UFC loss earlier this year.
With the event concluded, see below for the best photos from UFC 302.
In the main attraction, American fan favorite Dustin Poirier hoped to finish his story by checking the final box in his career. Standing in his way of an undisputed lightweight title crowning at the third time of trying, however, was a formidable force in Islam Makhachev.
The Dagestani champion left the crowd disappointed by submitting Poirier in the fifth round of a memorable headliner. In doing so, he tied his mentor, the great Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Benson Henderson for title defenses by notching his third at UFC 302.
The Number One P4P continues his reign đ@MAKHACHEVMMAÂ defeats Dustin Poirier by submission to REMAIN the lightweight champion of the world!
All eyes were also on the co-headliner, as former middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland competed for the first time since being unseated from the throne by the barest of margins this past January in Toronto. After being denied an immediate rematch with Dricus Du Plessis, “Tarzan” staked his claim for a title shot by stalling the ambitions of Paulo Costa in a lackluster five-round affair.
Before those matchups, the likes of Kevin Holland, Niko Price, Randy Brown, Roman Kopylov, Jailton Almeida, and Bassil Hafez all had their hands raised.
With the event concluded, check out the full results below, followed by some of the highlights!
UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier Results & Highlights
Main Card:
Lightweight Championship Main Event: Islam Makhachev def. Dustin Poirier via submission (D’arce choke): R5, 2:42
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Sean Strickland def. Paulo Costa via split decision (50-45, 46-49, 49-46)
Middleweight: Kevin Holland def. MichaĹ Oleksiejczuk via submission (armbar): R1, 1:34
Welterweight: Niko Price def. Alex Morono via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Welterweight: Randy Brown def. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: Roman Kopylov def. CĂŠsar Almeida via unanimous decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Heavyweight: Jailton Almeida def. Alexandr Romanov via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 2:27
Lightweight: Grant Dawson def. Joe Solecki via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Welterweight: Jake Matthews def. Phil Rowe via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Bassil Hafez def. Mickey Gall via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Entering UFC 302 off back-to-back losses, Kevin Holland got a much-needed victory and did it in gruesome fashion.
Holland took on Michal Oleksiejczuk as part of the event’s pay-per-view card. Holland found himself in trouble in the first round, getting dropped by a left hand.
However, he recovered enough to throw up his guard and get into a triangle position, eventually getting his legs around one of Oleksiejczuk’s arms. With Oleksiejczuk not tapping, Holland continued to apply pressure until he appeared to break the arm.
Referee Herb Dean would eventually call the fight, much to the dismay of Oleksiejczuk.
Kevin Holland Likely Breaks Opponent Michal Oleksiejczuk’s Arm At UFC 302
Kevin Holland got cracked in the face and still got dude in the nastiest armbar ever đ #ufc302
— đ˝đđđđđđđđâ (@Sa_Gwang) June 2, 2024
Kevin Holland a real one because you can tell he didnât want to do him like that. Sometimes itâs better to wave the white flag and tap, rather than get your elbow cracked #UFC302pic.twitter.com/Rr0xYzjbu0
Holland is now 3-2 in his last five fights, with additional wins over Michael Chiesa and Santiago Ponzinibbio. He entered tonight off back-to-back losses against Jack Della Maddalena and Michael “Venom” Page.
Headlining UFC 302, Poirier is tasked with bringing an end to the reign of Islam Makhachev, a feat that then-featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski failed to achieve in two attempts last year.
The co-main event also boasts considerable stakes, as former middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland looks to remain within touching distance of the belt. Having missed out on an immediate rematch with Dricus Du Plessis, “Tarzan” must stall the ambitions of Paulo Costa, who is facing the prospect of a long journey back up the ladder should he move to 0-2 in 2024.
Also on the lineup, fan favorite Kevin Holland makes the walk as a middleweight once again, top 10 heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida completes a quick turnaround following his first UFC loss this past March, and Randy Brown looks to open the PPV main card in style opposite Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos.
To prepare yourself for tonight’s event, catch up on the latest betting odds here, look back on the faceoffs from Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins here, and follow along with the results and highlights here, live from 6:15 PM ET.
MMA Community Gives Final Thoughts On UFC 302: ‘Poirier By Guillotine!’
UFC 302 will get underway shortly, meaning the buildup and time for talking is almost over.
The MMA community is sure to be locked in and engaged in hot discussion over the events that unfold in the coming hours, but throughout today, plenty have been getting in their late predictions and final thoughts on the momentous occasion.
Dustin could cause one of the biggest upsets in UFC history tonight – unlikely, but what a picture perfect finish to a hall of fame worthy career. #ufc302
Dustin knocks Islam out. Becomes champ for the first time. Leaves the belt and his gloves in the center of the octagon. Rides off into the sunset. #ufc302
UFC 302 takes place on Saturday night, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!
The upcoming pay-per-view event at Newark’s Prudential Center provides a chance for UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev to further enhance his legacy on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.
If the Dagestani is to move closer to his desired status as the greatest of all time, he must get through Dustin Poirier, who is shooting for the undisputed throne for the third time having previously fallen short against Khabib Nurmagomedov and Charles Oliveira.
The stakes will also be high in the co-main event, as former middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland enters the cage for the first time since a tight decision loss to Dricus Du Plessis in their championship headliner in Toronto this past January. To stake his claim for a shot earning two-time status in the UFC, Strickland must stall Paulo Costa’s push for another opportunity at the 185-pound gold.
Nevertheless, every fight has remained intact, and all that remained on Friday was for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC 302 ceremonial weigh-ins!
Check out a full replay via the official UFC YouTube channel below, followed by all the faceoffs!
UFC 302 Ceremonial Weigh-Ins
UFC 302 Ceremonial Weigh-In Faceoffsj
A primeira luta do #UFC302 serĂĄ entre @MRaposo_ e AndrĂŠ Lima! đ§đˇ Veja a encarada entre os lutadores!
Topping the lineup will be the returning Islam Makhachev, who makes the walk for the first time in 2024 having not competed since his second successful title defense against Alexander Volkanovski last October. In “Brick City,” the Dagestani must withstand the threat of fan favorite Dustin Poirier.
Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see former middleweight kingpin Sean Strickland back in action. If he’s to earn a potential shot at redemption against Dricus Du Plessis, the outspoken American will have to get past Paulo Costa.
Also in action on Saturday night will be the always entertaining Kevin Holland, top 10 heavyweight Jailton Almeida, and formerly ranked lightweight Grant Dawson.
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 302 main card here.
UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 302 (as of 5/31), courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Islam Makhachev (-600) vs. Dustin Poirier (+440)
Sean Strickland (-265) vs. Paulo Costa (+215)
Kevin Holland (-290) vs. MichaĹ Oleksiejczuk (+235)
Niko Price (+210) vs. Alex Morono (-258)
Randy Brown (-180) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (+150)
Preliminary Card:
CĂŠsar Almeida (-118) vs. Roman Kopylov (-102)
Jailton Almeida (-325) vs. Alexandr Romanov (+260)
Grant Dawson (-520) vs. Joe Solecki (+390)
Phil Rowe (+136) vs. Jake Matthews (-162)
Early Preliminary Card:
Mickey Gall (+300) vs. Bassil Hafez (-380)
AilĂn PĂŠrez (-192) vs. Joselyne Edwards (+160)
AndrĂŠ Lima (-285) vs. Mitch Raposo (+230)
Be sure to keep it right here on MMA News tomorrow for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 302!
In Saturday’s main event, Islam Makhachev will look to tie his mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov and Benson Henderson’s record three consecutive title defenses. To do so, the Dagestani must stall the ongoing undisputed ambitions of Dustin Poirier.
Co-headlining, meanwhile, is a pair of prominent middleweight contenders in former champion Sean Strickland and one-time challenger Paulo Costa. Having failed to secure an immediate rematch with Dricus Du Plessis, “Tarzan” will look to keep his name close to the throne at the expense of “Borrachinha.”
Elsewhere, the likes of Kevin Holland, Randy Brown, Jailton Almeida, Roman Kopylov, and Mickey Gall will all make the walk.
UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier Weigh-In Results
UFC 302 takes place Saturday, June 1, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.
See above for replay of the UFC 302 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below!
Main Card:
Lightweight Championship Main Event: Islam Makhachev (155lbs) vs. Dustin Poirier (155lbs)
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Sean Strickland (185lbs) vs. Paulo Costa (185lbs)
Middleweight: Kevin Holland (185lbs) vs. MichaĹ Oleksiejczuk (185lbs)
Welterweight: Niko Price (170lbs) vs. Alex Morono (170lbs)
Welterweight: Randy Brown (170lbs) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (170lbs)
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: CĂŠsar Almeida (185lbs) vs. Roman Kopylov (185lbs)
Heavyweight: Jailton Almeida (241lbs) vs. Alexandr Romanov (265lbs)
Lightweight: Grant Dawson (155lbs) vs. Joe Solecki (155lbs)
Welterweight: Phil Rowe (171lbs) vs. Jake Matthews (170lbs)
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Mickey Gall (170lbs) vs. Bassil Hafez (170lbs)
Women’s Bantamweight: AilĂn PĂŠrez (135lbs) vs. Joselyne Edwards (136lbs)
Flyweight: AndrĂŠ Lima (130lbs)* vs. Mitch Raposo (125lbs)
*AndrĂŠ Lima missed the flyweight limit by four pounds, fined 30 percent of his purse
Of late, however, Israel Adesanya, Kamaru Usman, and Alexander Volkanovski have lost their titles in fights that they were favorites to win.
And over the years, heavy underdog challengers like Matt Serra, Holly Holm, Sean Strickland, and Michael Bisping have proven the oddsmakers wrong in title fights.
Can Dustin Poirier follow suit and finally become an undisputed UFC champion?
Here are notable UFC fighters providing us with their thoughts on the UFC 302 lightweight title fight.
Michael Chandler, Kevin Holland, & Paulo Costa Pick Islam Makhachev To Beat Dustin Poirier At UFC 302
MMA Fighting recently shared a compilation of fighters predicting the winner of the UFC 302 main event.
Michael Chandler claimed that Poirier was the most skilled fighter he’s stepped in the Octagon with, but even then, he couldn’t see “The Diamond” surviving Makhachev’s wrestling.
“He’ll do all of these different things to win the fight. He’s a certified competitor. With that being said, I think Islam is better than him in every single aspect of the sport, except for the sheer boxing.”
Paulo Costa went a step ahead and claimed that Makhachev might have a better chin than Khabib Nurmagomedov, which further reduces the chances of Poirier coming out with a win.
“Islam is maybe even tougher than Khabib, maybe. You know, because he has best, in my opinion, he has good striker, good striking skills. And in the ground and grappling, I don’t need to say nothing. You know he’s unbelievable good.”
Despite favoring the lightweight champ, Costa agreed this wouldn’t be an easy fight for either side.
Kevin Holland also picked Makhachev to win against Poirier but made it clear that the veteran finally getting to complete his story isn’t an impossible outcome either.
“So, either way the story can be wrote however, imma be good with it. As long as I get my dub and my check, you know what I mean? I’m good to go baby.”
Cory Sandhagen looked back at recent high-profile upsets to state that anyone has a chance in MMA – and that doesn’t exclude Poirier.
Jailton Almeida though, who’s a huge fan of Nurmagomedov, thinks Makhachev will certainly defend his belt at UFC 302.
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, who’ll face Randy Brown in the first fight on the main card, is one of the few people rooting for Poirier based on the striking advantage.
Randy Brown, too, had all the praise for Poirier’s ability to come back from adversity. Calling “The Diamond” his inspiration and someone he relates to, Brown hopes that Poirier wins, even though it’s a hard fight for him stylistically.
UFC 302 is now only a couple of days away, and what better way to get hyped for the upcoming pay-per-view than with some MMA News staff predictions for the intriguing card?
The headline act will see gold on the line, as reigning UFC Lightweight Champion Islam Makhachev looks to defend his belt against an established 155-pound contender for the first time. After emerging from two challenges against Alexander Volkanovski with the crown still in his possession, the Dagestani is next tasked with stalling the ambitions of Dustin Poirier.
Setting the stage for them in the co-main event, meanwhile, will be two middleweight contenders hoping to secure title opportunities of their own down the line. Having had his calls for a rematch with Dricus Du Plessis fall on deaf ears, former champion Sean Strickland must bounce back at the expense of Paulo Costa if he’s to earn a chance at achieving two-time status.
Elsewhere, Kevin Holland will make a short-notice return to 185 pounds to square off against MichaĹ Oleksiejczuk, Jailton Almeida will look to rebound from his first UFC defeat opposite Alexandr Romanov, and welterweights Randy Brown and Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos battle to kick proceedings off in style on PPV.
UFC 302: MMA News Staff Predictions
Ahead of Saturday’s UFC 302 event, Kyle Dimond, Ryan Jarrell, Thomas Albano, Tyriece Simon, and Andrew Starc have provided their picks for the five-fight main card, which you can see below.
Lightweight Championship Main Event: Islam Makhachev (C) vs. Dustin Poirier
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa
Middleweight: Kevin Holland vs. MichaĹ Oleksiejczuk
Heavyweight: Jailton Almeida vs. Alexandr Romanov*
Welterweight: Randy Brown vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
*Almeida vs. Romanov has since been demoted to the prelims, with Alex Morono vs. Niko Price now set to go down on PPV
Welterweight: Randy Brown vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
Kyle Dimond: The battle of the welterweight top 15 hopefuls opens up the main card in Newark. The Brazilian has a ton of experience and some great wins inside the Octagon. To some extent, the same can be said for his opponent. Both men have been known to suffer defeats to the cream of the crop, so who rises to the top in this one?
For me, Brown has always jumped out as someone with bags of potential if heâs able to put a run together. This could be the moment for him but Iâm expecting the durability of his opponent to hold up and for the judges to be required. (Prediction: Randy Brown)
Ryan Jarrell: This welterweight fight will be a really exciting one to kick off the main card. My immediate thoughts were to lean toward Brown due to his striking and five-inch reach advantage. But, Zaleski dos Santos is no joke and could very easily win this fight.
The Brazilian has some big wins earlier in his career over Sean Strickland and BenoĂŽt Saint Denis and is (10-3-1) overall in the UFC. I wonât be betting on this fight because I could see it going either way. Right now, Iâm going with Brown to utilize his jab and length en route to a decision. But my opinion may change as the fight gets closer.(Prediction: Randy Brown)
Thomas Albano: The first thing that people will always note about Brown is his massive 78-inch reach. It is incredible of a reach for a fighter to have, and Brown knows how to use it well, managing distance while using his boxing. And while his jabs and his combinations are usually his key to success, donât count out his grappling. Though he hasnât had a submission win since UFC 261, “Rude Boy” knows how to handle himself on the ground if the time comes for that.
We have only seen Zaleski dos Santos three times since the end of 2020, but heâs 2-0-1 in that span, including a win over a younger Saint Denis. While Zaleski dos Santos has jiu-jitsu in his background, his specialty is his Muay Thai. That means we should be in for a back-and-forth striking battle â though it will be interesting to see, if this fight does go to the ground, how Brownâs long limbs will help him in such an instance.
The problem for Zaleski dos Santos is that heâs approaching 38, and while Brown is no Spring chicken either, his reach, energy, and momentum with more activity (wins in six of seven fights since the start of 2021), force me to give him the edge. (Prediction: Randy Brown)
Tyriece Simon: This fight should be a fun start to the UFC 302 main card. Brown and Zaleski dos Santos are coming into their matchup on two-fight win streaks and aiming to make a run in the welterweight division. That said, I lean toward Brown getting the win here. He has the height and reach advantage to stick behind his jab and utilize leg kicks to pick Zaleski dos Santos apart. If “Rude Boy” can stay at a distance, I think he can win decisively. (Prediction: Randy Brown)
Andrew Starc: Brown has won six of his last seven fights, having most recently knocked out Muslim Salikhov in the first round of their February encounter. Zaleski dos Santos, meanwhile, is undefeated in his last three, with his last bout against Rinat Fakhretdinov ending in a majority draw back in November. In what will likely be a mainly striking affair, I think the rangier and younger Brown will get the nod here. (Prediction: Randy Brown)
Consensus: 5-0 Randy Brown
Heavyweight: Jailton Almeida vs. Alexandr Romanov
Kyle Dimond: Heavyweights are up next and, once again, my money is on the favorite. Almeida did not have a good night last time out against Curtis Blaydes but heâs still proven himself to be in that mix. It was a humbling setback but one that should serve Almeida well going forward as he looks to crack that upper echelon of Blaydes, Ciryl Gane, Tom Aspinall, and Jon Jones.
I havenât seen much from Romanov as of yet that makes me think he can break into that top group of heavyweights. So, while this isnât the easiest matchup that is out there for Almeida, I think there could be a gap in quality once both men get tired, paving the way for the Brazilian to score a second-round TKO. (Prediction: Jailton Almeida)
Ryan Jarrell: Almeida will be too powerful and too dynamic for Romanov. I thoroughly expect “Malhadinho” to start fast and win quickly in this heavyweight bout. (Prediction: Jailton Almeida)
Thomas Albano: Big men going to the mat never seems to ring a desirable bell in MMA fans, but thatâs exactly what weâre going to get here. If youâre a fan of wrestling and grappling, youâll probably get a kick out of this one. Almeida was on a big win streak coming into his appearance on DWCS, and heâs continued to impress since then â despite getting knocked out by Blaydes. Almeidaâs ground dominance can already be seen on the UFC stat sheets. He holds the UFC records for highest control time and top-position percentage. His 21-plus minutes of control time against Derrick Lewis is one for the UFCâs record books, as well as the nine takedowns he landed in the first round against Blaydes. If it isnât obvious a
lready, itâs being the one to land the takedowns and unrelenting top-heavy pressure that is Almeidaâs key to victory.
That said, his wrestling skills will be tested when he faces another talented man on the mat in Romanov. Like the Brazilian, Romanov, a freestyle wrestler, will also be aggressive and look for takedowns early. But while “King Kong,” has a little bit of a weight advantage (at least based on previous weights between these two fighters), how much success Almeida has had with grappling â in terms of both finishes and control time â might be too much for him to handle. (Prediction: Jailton Almeida)
Tyriece Simon: This is a must-win fight for Almeida. After a lackluster performance against Lewis and a knockout loss to Blaydes, “Malhadinho” needs an impressive win. However, Romanov is a tough opponent to defeat. Both fighters will want to take the bout to the ground, but the Moldovan is the bigger fighter and seemingly has the strength advantage. I also believe “King Kong” will be better in the clinch to get to a takedown. Although Almeida is the favorite, I think Romanov has the skillset to get the job done Saturday night. (Prediction: Alexandr Romanov)
Andrew Starc: Almeidaâs rapid rise through the heavyweight ranks was cut short with a TKO loss to Blaydes in March. That was his first defeat in 15 fights, having scored wins against Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Lewis along the way. Romanov, meanwhile, got back in the win column against Blagoy Ivanov in July last year following two straight losses. Given Almeidaâs grappling prowess and power, I think this will be an easy win for him. (Prediction: Jailton Almeida)
Consensus: 4-1 Jailton Almeida
Middleweight: Kevin Holland vs. MichaĹ Oleksiejczuk
Kyle Dimond: Holland returns to middleweight in search of a win following back-to-back defeats to top welterweights. Despite going up, he is sure to have a considerable height and reach advantage in this fight. Holland is a dangerous finisher, too, and thatâs concerning for Oleksiejczuk considering four of his five UFC losses have been submissions. Holland has got some tricky subs in his locker also, so I can see him hurting his opponent and putting him away early, maybe with a performance bonus in there for good measure. âBig Mouthâ back with a big win. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Ryan Jarrell: Holland is back at middleweight and must feel the pressure to come out and look his best after his most recent performance against Michael Page. Oleksiejczuk boasts 14 KO/TKO wins in his career and made his UFC debut all the way back in 2017. We know this guy belongs and is a tough out for anyone. I do expect Holland to capitalize on his seven-inch reach advantage in this matchup and eventually find a club and sub to end the fight. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Thomas Albano: This is a sneaky fun fight that some people might be sleeping on. With 14 of his 19 victories coming by way of KO, we have seen Oleksiejczuk impress with some wicked finishes and powerful displays â just have a look at his finishes of Cody Brundage and Chidi Njokuani. That said, he hasnât faced the same kind of competition that Holland has. And while âBig Mouthâ has the talk (including inside the cage) that makes him either loved or hated, thereâs no doubt he can hold his own with the middleweight contenders in the Octagon.
Holland has his own explosive power, and donât ever count out his grappling. This will be a great experience for Oleksiejczuk and could prove to be a fun fight. However, Holland just has the experience and overall package thatâs going to be too much to handle. A win here could also help Holland rebound from back-to-back losses to Jack Della Maddalena and âVenomâ Page. Oleksiejczuk has four submission losses in his last five defeats, and “Trailblazer” should be able to take advantage of that with his previously mentioned grappling. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Tyriece Simon: Holland and Oleksiejczuk have the potential to be the Fight of the Night. I believe the critical factor in the matchup is whether Holland’s defense can hold up. Oleksiejczuk tends to swing big punches to try to get a knockout and has the power to do it. If “Trailblazer” can utilize his footwork and head movement to avoid the Polish fighter’s heavy strikes and fight him at a distance, he can finish him. Holland has to be patient and slowly pick Oleksiejczuk apart with jabs and leg kicks early, then ramp up his onslaught in later rounds. I think this will be his game plan, and heâll outperform Oleksiejczuk to a decision or a knockout. (Prediction: Kevin Holland)
Andrew Starc: Holland, for me, might be one of the most frustrating fighters to watch. Since that outrageous KO of Ronaldo Souza back in 2020, which seemed to beckon a rise through the ranks, heâs lost six times in 11 fights, including his last two. Oleksiejczukâs recent record is similarly patchy, but while Hollandâs rangy boxing may cause problems, I think the Pole will get it done. (Prediction: MichaĹ Oleksiejczuk)
Consensus: 4-1 Kevin Holland
Middleweight Co-Main Event: Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa
Kyle Dimond: Here comes the wildcard. Everything about this fight screams a Strickland decision win. Heâs defensively aware and weaponizes his cardio, two factors that make him a tough fight for Costa. However, if thereâs anyone that can out-crazy Strickland, it might be âBorrachinha.â Stricklandâs recent losses, aside from the left hand of doom from âPoatan,â have come from the downsides to his style. Against Jared Cannonier and Dricus Du Plessis, he did well but saw rounds slip away, and with Costa not being intimidated by the jabs coming back at him, he might be able to win any round thatâs competitive through sheer output and because his strikes are more eye-catching.
Iâm not sure whether the pressure of Strickland is going to work as well against such an imposing figure in Costa, and without the former champion being able to make the Brazilian second guess himself, his toughness will keep him in the fight over five rounds and he may be able to take three of them on the cards. (Prediction: Paulo Costa)
Ryan Jarrell: This co-main event fight should be a very interesting stylistic matchup. Iâm curious to see what kind of a gameplan Strickland has against the powerful Costa. If the former champion fights smart and doesnât try to fight “Borrachinha” the way he did Alex Pereira, I think he will grind out a win. I believe this will be the Fight of the Night and end in a narrow decision leaving many bettors upset that their parlays were busted. (Prediction: Sean Strickland)
Thomas Albano: Strickland is going to have quite the test for his first fight back since losing the title. While I havenât always been the biggest fan of Costaâs performances in the Octagon, he poses an interesting challenge in that he has power that Strickland has arguably never seen in the cage before. Itâs also arguable to say “Tarzan” hasnât had the greatest track record when facing upper-level competition at middleweight, but his upset of Israel Adesanya has landed him here.
This could be a fun battle, given how similar these two men can be in the cage. Both like to be aggressive in their striking and have strong wrestling backgrounds. I, however, give the edge to Strickland for two reasons. One, I see Strickland being the more aggressive of the two when it comes to his output. Two,
with this being a five-round bout, the American has more experience competing in these kinds of fights. Costa, in fact, has only gone 25 minutes just one time â when he and Marvin Vettori competed at light heavyweight in late 2021. Could Costa land some damaging shots? Maybe, but I see Strickland outlasting him in a fight that goes the full way. (Prediction: Sean Strickland)
Tyriece Simon: This matchup is intriguing as both fighters generally love to be the ones pressuring their opponent. Strickland tends to overwhelm his foes by outworking them with his striking activity, while Costa utilizes his power to shut down his competitors. The winner of this fight will be who advances and puts their opponent on the back foot.
Costa will possibly be the aggressor in the first round. If Strickland can weather the storm, use that variation of the Philly Shell that he has had success with, and counter with 1-2 combos, he can build momentum for the second round. At that point, I think “Borrachinha” will slow down and the work Strickland put in the previous round will pay off. Iâm not sure the former champion can finish Costa, but he can outwork him to a decision. (Prediction: Sean Strickland)
Andrew Starc: While Strickland lost his middleweight crown in his last outing, it was by the narrowest of margins. His cardio and solid striking are going to cause problems for Costa. While having a good showing in his most recent loss to Robert Whittaker, the Brazilian doesnât look to be a true threat to the elite of the division. Unless Costa lands something wild, I canât see Strickland losing on points. (Prediction: Sean Strickland)
Consensus: 4-1 Sean Strickland
UFC Lightweight Title: Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier
Kyle Dimond: Gilly or no gilly, itâs hard to pick Poirier in this one. If he fought Makhachev 10 times, Iâd imagine heâd win just a few times, and I donât think Newark is going to be his night â not with the current form of the champion. âThe Diamondâ is far too good to be counted out and Iâm not willing to write him off. But, the simple fact of the matter is itâs hard to favor anyone in the division over Makhachev right now.
Thereâs several names I think would be a tougher matchup for the champ, at least on paper. We ride into New Jersey as a silly gilly-jumping gaggle, but ultimately, Makhachev will come out on top with a tap of his own. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Ryan Jarrell: Poirier is one of my favorite mixed martial artists and I very much want to pick him here to secure a massive upset and finally become the undisputed champion. Unfortunately, my head tells me that Makhachev is just too well rounded for him.
The American is incredibly gritty and has the ability to stun and put out anyone. I just think the Dagestani will resort to his wrestling if he gets in any major trouble in this fight. I hate to say it, but ultimately I think the champ gets ahold of Poirier’s neck and finishes him with a gilly. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Thomas Albano: With Khabib Nurmagomedovâs fighting days now behind him, Poirier gets one more crack to be the UFC lightweight champion. Unfortunately for him, heâs going to be taking on Khabibâs protĂŠgĂŠ in Makhachev. Even more unfortunate? “The Eagle” has been working with Makhachev in training camp and will be in the champâs corner on Saturday night. Khabib and Poirier met for the lightweight title back at UFC 242 in September 2019. While “The Diamond” gave Khabib a scare with his now-known jumping of the gilly, the then-champ controlled a significant amount of the action, putting Poirier away in the third with a choke. Khabib has noted in previous interviews and hype packages that heâs using what he knows of Poirierâs strengths and weaknesses in training the current lightweight king.
Granted, Poirier has evolved over the years. And one place heâll have the advantage is on the feet. It sounds boring to say that this is a typical striker vs. grappler matchup, especially considering what we saw Makhachev do to Alexander Volkanovski in October. But, thereâs a big difference between Volkanovski â who was coming up 10 pounds, fighting on short notice, and was a bit drained from all of his in-cage activity â and one of the best 155-pound fighters of the modern day. If Poirier can somehow keep this fight standing â and resist his desire to jump the gilly â then just maybe he can pull off the upset.
But thatâs easier said than done; Makhachev is a smart man, and he will probably just takedown and wrestle Poirier in the same way his mentor did. (Note: Charles Oliveira even had plenty of control time on Poirier, even though he never landed a takedown on the stat books!) And if that happens, unfortunately for “The Diamond,” it could be the same as it ever was in his third undisputed title fight. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Tyriece Simon: In what is potentially Poirier’s last fight, Iâm not sure he can defeat Makhachev. I believe “The Diamond” has the striking ability to give the UFC lightweight champion issues. However, the most significant factor of the fight will be the challenger’s cardio. Lately, Poirier seems to slow down quicker with heavy activity in a fight early as he has gotten older. Iâm certain Makhachev is mixing up his striking and grappling to confuse his opponent and sap away Poirierâs energy.
It will be a tough night for the Louisianan if Makhachev can get Poirier backing up early and put his back against the cage. The veteran contender has to keep the fight standing to give himself a chance. It may also be beneficial to attack the body of Makhachev and not head hunt early on to slow him down. Poirier also needs to focus on trying to get up rather than going for a submission if he does end up on his back. As good as Poirier is on the ground, heâs less likely to get a submission win over Makhachev and would sacrifice control time to his opponent. Ultimately, I believe the champ will be too much for Poirier on Saturday. (Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Andrew Starc: I can’t see Makhachev losing this one. This is Poirierâs third shake at the title, and while heâs shown his elite caliber over the years, most recently with his KO of Saint Denis in March, I donât think he has an answer for Makhachevâs grappling. I think this one might go the same way for Poirier as his first title shot against Khabib.(Prediction: Islam Makhachev)
Consensus: 5-0 Islam Makhachev
That’ll do it for our UFC 302 staff picks! What do you think? Do your picks look similar? Let us know in the comments section! Also, you can check out the UFC 302 undercard below.
Preliminary Card:
Middleweight: CĂŠsar Almeida vs. Roman Kopylov
Lightweight: Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki
Welterweight: Phil Rowe vs. Jake Matthews
Welterweight: Niko Price vs. Alex Morono
Early Preliminary Card:
Welterweight: Mickey Gall vs. Bassil Hafez
Women’s Bantamweight: AilĂn PĂŠrez vs. Joselyne Edwards
Flyweight: AndrĂŠ Lima vs. Mitch Raposo
Be sure to keep it right here on MMANews.com tomorrow for all the results, highlights, and updates on UFC 302!
Many, including Weighing In hosts John McCarthy and Josh Thompson, believe that this fight is important for Holland to reassure the UFC about his prowess as a title contender and that he’s not just a gatekeeper in the welterweight division.
Although Holland is on a two-fight losing streak, this isn’t the first time he’s been in this situation. In the UFC, he’s previously lost consecutively to Derek Brunson and Marvin Vettori but came back with a KO win over Alex Oliviera.
Then, he again lost two fights in a row against Khamzat Chimaev and Stephen Thompson, but returned with a KO win over Santiago Ponzinibbio.
Ahead of UFC 302, Holland finds himself in a similar situation as he’s lost to Jack Della Maddalena and Michael Venom Page, and here’s what the Weighing In podcast hosts believe he should do to bounce back.
John McCarthy Claims Kevin Holland Is A ‘Problem For Everyone’
While discussing the UFC 302 card on his podcast, “Big” John McCarthy had all the praise for Holland,who is easily one of the most active fighters in the UFC roster.
McCarthy agreed that Holland is tough and can create problems for anyone inside the Octagon, and that “MVP” wasn’t an ideal matchup for him in many ways.
“Kevin Holland, he’s a problem for everyone. He’s in that position. Against MVP, I thought he would end up having a problem and everyone does, because they don’t realize how fast Michal is.
“Oleksiejczuk, I love the guy. He’s tough as hell. He is just a grinding monster. I don’t think he can beat Kevin Holland”
While McCarthy seemed confident about Holland being the better fighter, Thomson was more concerned about the impact of a losing streak on a fighter. The former UFC fighter explained how each loss adds to the mental burden and even someone like Holland could be affected by it.
“Losing to Jack Della Maddalena and ‘MVP.’ Now you’re fighting another guy who’s got a good chin, who likes to put the pressure. But one of my points is, though, that two losses in a row, you start thinking, ‘I’ve never lost three in a row. If I lose this, will they cut me?’ Those are the things that start going through your mind.
“In a fighter’s mind, you’re thinking to yourself. Three in a row, man, after three, it could be four, and then you really start thinking.”
Both Thomson and McCarthy then agreed on the fact that the UFC is unlikely to cut Holland even if he loses to Oleksiejczuk at UFC 302 – something we can likely all agree on too.
UFC welterweight Kevin Holland continues stopping crime in his native Houston, TX after halting an alleged shooting at a local sushi restaurant.
Holland and another MMA fighter, Patrick Robinson, were out to eat at RA Sushi late Monday night when an unidentified suspect fired a shot into the air near the bar area around 11:30 p.m. This is when Holland, Robinson, and a third diner charged at the suspect and apprehended him.
According to Houston Police, there were an estimated 40-50 people inside the restaurant at the time of the shooting. Remarkably, none of the customers were injured.
Police say the 24-year-old suspect had a warrant out for his arrest after failing to appear in court on a separate criminal mischief charge.
Shortly after police officers arrived, Holland posted a reaction to his social media accounts, as shared by MMA Junkie.
This was Kevin Holland's reaction shortly after he and a friend took down a gunman Monday night at a restaurant in Houston.
This isn’t the first time that Holland has used his MMA training to stop local crime. Last October, he helped apprehend an alleged carjacker in a vehicle and foot chase.
Holland has also shown he’s unafraid of online trolls, inviting multiple harassers to his gym before tapping them out and hitting them with nasty strikes. He has also claimed that his recent confrontations with some trolls have only fueled their fire and made the challenges more frequent.
Holland rose to fame after an electric 2020 in which he won five straight fights at middleweight. This included vicious knockouts over the likes of Jacare Souza and Joaquin Buckley.
After going winless in three straight bouts in 2021, he rebounded in a big way to begin 2022 with a TKO of Alex Oliveira at UFC 272. This was his welterweight debut after making the move down from 185 to 170 pounds.
In addition to his Octagon accolades, it’s apparent that Holland isn’t afraid to make a difference in his local community. He and Robinson’s heroic actions at the scene of an active shooter saved countless lives.
What is your reaction to Kevin Holland’s latest heroic actions?
Kevin Holland is hoping to be quite active in 2022.
Holland had his first fight of the year on Saturday on the main card of UFC 272, which also marked his return to welterweight. On the regional scene, Holland fought at 170 but eventually moved up to middleweight where he had some success, including going 5-0 in 2020. Yet, after an 0-2 and one No Contest campaign in 2021, he made the drop down to 170lbs.
In his return to welterweight, Holland took on Alex Oliveira, and in the first round, he struggled early on. However, he came out guns blazing in the second round and got the TKO win. Following the victory, he made it clear he wants to fight as often as possible and recapture the success he has in 2020.
âEverything is about timing,â Holland said on The MMA Hour. âI had fun at â85, still plan on having some more fun there, so I canât complain. I have a pretty decent name at â85. I was ranked 14 going into this fight, at middleweight. … Youâve got some of these guys ranked ahead of me at middleweight on some losing skids.
âIf weâre just speaking here, just throwing out things, I feel like I could be ranked higher than those guys,” Holland continued. “And if weâre talking about 170, I would like to see where that goes. So no, [I donât] wish that I did it sooner. I like where Iâm sitting. I might be the only guy ranked at both weight classes, so it could be fun.â
After the win, Holland called out Donald Cerrone who’s fighting Joe Lauzon on May 7. Yet, in his post-fight press conference, he walked back on it and said he has his eyes set on Daniel Rodriguez, who’s coming off a decision victory over Kevin Lee back in August.
With Holland possibly being open to fighting at 185lbs again, he hopes he can get six fights in 2022.
âShoot, if theyâve got something available next month at 185 pounds â because I donât feel like going on a diet right this second â then Iâll do that, too,â Holland said.
âIt would mess things up if I was shooting for something specifically. Iâm just shooting to be an active guy. Iâm just shooting to continue to grow and get experience and be a better fighter. So if I can fight five, six times this year, thatâd be awesome. I like to fight a lot, so I canât do every fight at 170 pounds if Iâm gonna fight six times this year. Thereâs still some good fights at â85, so Iâll take whatever comes. I think an â85 fight sounds good right now if I want to go out and eat carne asada for the next few weeks.â (h/t MMA Fighting)
With the win at UFC 272, Kevin Holland is now 22-7 and one No Contest and will likely get a big name next. The Rodriguez fight does make sense, as the two were scheduled to fight one another on May 30, 2020, just two weeks after Holland beat Anthony Hernandez at middleweight, but Holland was forced out of the bout due to an injury.
Who would you like to see Kevin Holland fight next?
Although appreciative of the Brazilian fighter’s energy, Holland is not opposed to making this Oliveria’s last fight.
Coming into his next bout with 3 back-to-back losses–2 via submissionâplus, the emotion he expressed walking into the Niko Price fight, Holland believes the 33-year-old is due to retire.
Niko Price and Alex Oliveira, Photo Credit: ESPN
“(He’s) pretty awesome. The dude has really, really good energy, so it’s going to be fun to go out there and scrap with him. But I think he’s a little older and a few steps behind, so I’m looking to go out there and exploit that. It looked like he was ready to retire in his last fight with all the crying, so if he wants a warm welcome out… I think my coach was the first person to beat him in like a jiu-jitsu match or something like that. If you look it up, Travis Lutter was like his first L on the record book thing. So I could be his last. From master to student; sounds good to me,” Holland told MMAFightingonSBN.
It will be another battle of redemption in the UFC. With the exception of Holland’s “clash of heads” no-contest against Kyle Daukaus back in October, both fighters enter the cage coming off losses and looking ahead into a brighter 2022.
In addition, their stats are nearly equal. Both fighters have 12 knockouts and 5 submission wins under their belts.
Both fighters carry big smiles and their energy is synonymous with confidence and entertainment. Indeed, the matchup is sure to cause a roar from the audience at the UFC APEX. And if things go as Holland envisions, it will be the final time Oliveira hears this response from a live crowd.
Are you excited for Holland vs Oliveira at UFC 272?
Kevin Holland has fired back after middleweight contender Sean Strickland detailed an altercation they had at the UFC Performance Institute earlier this month.
In an interview ahead of Strickland’s latest outing, a five-round victory over Jack Hermansson at UFC Vegas 47, “Trailblazer” made his negative feelings about “Tarzan” common knowledge. That led to an interaction at the PI during fight week.
While speaking to the media at UFC 271 this past weekend, Holland gave his side of the story. Explaining his reluctance to scrap Strickland in the parking lot, “Big Mouth” suggested they could have made the most of the PI’s facilities for an animosity-fueled sparring session.
“I seen him at the PI, and he had said some stuff online about murdering me or something like that if we ever have a fight,” recounted Holland. “So, when I see him, I was just checking his energy. He said I had my chest poked out, but as you guys see me on camera all the time, I have a bird chest. It’s kind of hard to poke this thing out. So, (I) walked up to the man, and I wasn’t trying to say nothing to him. He was speaking to me like we were friends or something. I was just looking at him like he was fucking crazy.
“He said something stupid, so I probably said something stupid back,” added Holland. “Little words got exchanged. He said something about going to the parking lot. But if I’m not mistaken, there’s a full-blown Octagon and a boxing ring upstairs, and we could easily make it a sparring session. That way the UFC doesn’t lose money by somebody getting their head bashed in in the parking lot.”
While Holland no doubt thinks he can match Strickland’s in-fight trash talk and go toe-to-toe with him on the mic, there’s one area he says he boasts a size advantage…
“I think I got the bigger cock.”
Kevin Holland explains his beef with Sean Strickland.
Holland Ready To Offer Strickland A Rebound Opportunity
While their back and forth and in-person exchange would have set the stage nicely for a grudge match inside the cage, the pair are currently at very different points on the UFC ladder.
On a six-fight win streak and coming off his second consecutive main event triumph, Strickland has risen into title contention and is perhaps just one victory away from a date with champion Israel Adesanya.
But despite their opposite paths in the promotion right now, Holland is harboring hope of a clash down the line. He even offered to be waiting with a rebound opportunity for Strickland if the Anaheim native earns a title shot and is beaten by “The Last Stylebender.”
“Yeah, I would love to do that fight,” Holland further told the media. “Sean’s on a really good winning streak right now, and Sean’s making really good waves in the middleweight division. I’m no dummy, we all know Sean’s probably close to a title shot. There’s not very many people for Izzy to fight at 185. Once Izzy knocks him the fuck out and he needs a rebound fight, here I am baby. Another tall, lanky guy ready to take that ass.”
If Holland can resurrect his career at 170 pounds and return to middleweight in the future, it certainly wouldn’t be surprising to see him throw down with Strickland.
Would you like to see Kevin Holland and Sean Strickland settle their differences inside the Octagon down the line?
Kevin Holland is at it again, right back on the troll-stomping trail with the release of a second sparring video featuring him disposing of a troll.
Kevin Holland is preparing to fight UFC veteran Alex Oliveira at UFC 272 in a bout that will mark Holland’s return to the welterweight division. In his preparation for his 2022 debut, Holland has found some rather unusual sparring partners.
“Honestly, I liked this troll way more ? non other then @brawlerimages So this guy at the meet and greet called me BrunsonâŚ.. later he got a autograph âď¸ next day he got the pleasure of being troll number #2 2 down way to many to go im gonna start needing help full video will go up on my #onlyfans Dude ended up being respectful so yes I respect him for showing up ??18h”
Holland also shared the DMs between himself and the troll, which, to Holland’s point, came across as a respectful exchange. The young lad even politely referred to his future abuser as “Mr. Kevin.”
After the two worked out the logistics, the training began, which consisted of a barrage of body kicks from Holland. Peep the video below. (h/t MMA Trends)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGbu_C5p2zM
Holland may have struck creative gold here. His troll-beating adventures has all the makings of a hit mini-series or web series.
What would you name a mini-series documenting “Big Mouth” Kevin Holland’s troll-beating adventures?
Feelings seem to be mutual between middleweights Sean Strickland and Kevin Holland.
Both middleweights have recently stated their issues with each other.
Holland was recently asked about his pick in the upcoming fight between Strickland and Jack Hermansson. When asked about the fight, Holland went on a rant about why he doesnât like the rising middleweight.
âLook, I love Eric [Nicksick] over there at Xtreme Couture. I love that gym, I think theyâre awesome. But I absolutely do not like Strickland,â said Holland in an interview with ESPN. âIf you like Strickland, if youâre a fan of Strickland, youâre kind of awkward. I donât see how you can like that kind of guy.â (h/t MiddleEasy)
Strickland: Holland Is Scared Of Me
Sean Strickland
During the recent media day appearance for UFC Vegas 47, Strickland told his side of the story regarding his issues with Holland. During this appearance, he mentioned that they first started beefing on Instagram. Soon after, they met face to face at the UFC Performance Institute.
âSo anyways, I see him at the PI the other day. Heâs like popped out his fuckinâ chest trying to fight me. And Iâm like, âKevin Holland bro, you have my Instagram, dude. We canât fight here. Edgar, the fuckin, the UFC guy with the abs, heâs going to break this shit up here,â said Strickland. âYouâve gotta fuckinâ call me, weâve gotta go to this fuckinâ parking lot and weâll do the fuckinâ man dance.
“The thing about Kevin Holland, you know, he doesnât know how to embrace his feelings. He doesnât know how to feel. Heâs scared of his feelings. So like, Kevin Holland is one of those guys [where] he sees me and heâs scared of me.â
Itâs hard to imagine Holland and Strickland settling their beef in the cage anytime soon. Strickland is quite high up in the division currently, as he is theoretically just a few wins from being in the title picture.Â
Holland, however, is currently winless in his past three fights, resulting in two losses and one no contest. Heâs set to return on March 5 against Alex Oliveira.
UFC fighter Kevin Holland taught one internet troll a brutal lesson after the man called him out on social media relentlessly for weeks.
Holland is set to make his UFC return at UFC 272 at welterweight, after a long run at middleweight. He’ll face Alex Oliveira in the hopes of getting back in the win column after a series of lopsided performances.
But Holland has remained one of the most popular UFC personalities on social media. He recently stopped an alleged carjacker in his neighborhood and helped local police apprehend the suspect.
Holland took up a challenge from one Instagram user who decided to berate the star athlete in his direct messages. After calling Holland out for a fight, the troll was invited to Holland’s gym to attempt to prove his points.
This troll thought he was a tough guy or skilled or some bs. So I put his ass on a bus, paid for his hotel room and brought him in for a session. How it started- pic.twitter.com/fsBiEcnvoJ
Holland made the troll look silly on the mat, showcasing his grappling skills and quickly getting a tap. It’s safe to say that the troll in question won’t be challenging Holland again anytime soon.
Holland rose to prominence with an electric calendar year in 2020. He earned three-straight wins, including a vicious knockout over Joaquin Buckley.
As he makes the move to 170 pounds, he’s looking to realize his potential in the Octagon and possibly challenge for a title shortly.
What are your thoughts on this video of Kevin Holland submitting a troll?
UFC fighter Kevin Holland has a plan in place to continue to build his brand outside of the Octagon in 2022.
Holland is set to make his UFC return at 170 pounds at UFC 272 against Alex Oliveira. This is his first fight since his controversial no-contest against Kyle Daukaus in October.
Holland is looking to get back in the win column after going home without a victory over his last three fights. Before the Daukaus fight, he lost back-to-back unanimous decisions to top middleweight contenders Derek Brunson and Marvin Vettori.
Lots of things are changing in Holland’s MMA career, including a drop to welterweight from middleweight. Standing at 6’3″, he’ll easily be one of the biggest welterweights in the division as he gets set to make his 170-pound debut.
During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Holland revealed that he’s also planning on a pursuit on the adult site OnlyFans to help support his income.
“It’s pretty cool,” Holland said. “I’ll probably put some of my gaming content up there so I can still smoke while playing games, so on and so forth. I can just be who I wanna be on OnlyFans, without having to worry about being kicked off⌠It’s free, you don’t have to pay. So, I’m gonna drop, kinda like, a day in the life type thing. So when I drop that, I’ll probably do the first couple of episodes free, and then if everybody likes it, you know what I mean, I’ll probably do a small subscription to the page. I’ll try and keep it real cheap. I got 4,000 fans on there. If I can do a dollar a fan, that’d be crazy.”
Holland’s comments come just weeks after former UFC bantamweight champion Miesha Tate shut down the idea of making an OnlyFans account. She has since clarified her comments in which she alluded to it as a “desperate” career path.
OnlyFans is often used to post mature content, but it sounds like Holland intends to use his account to stream video games and chat with his fanbase. As he gets ready for a potentially eventful 2022, he seems to be in a great place in and out of the cage.
How do you think Kevin Holland will do at welterweight?
Ranked UFC middleweight Kevin Holland has described the time veteran fan-favorite Nick Diaz “swung” at him because of the shirt he was wearing.
2021 was an unsuccessful year in regards to fighting for both Holland and Diaz. After an incredible five-victory 2020, “Trailblazer” entered it hoping to surge towards title contention. Instead, he fell to two defeats and was knocked unconscious by a clash of heads in his third outing.
Diaz, meanwhile, returned to the Octagon for the first time in nearly seven years. His highly-anticipated comeback saw him re-visit a feud from 2004. In a rematch 17 years in the making, he faced Robbie Lawler on the UFC 266 main card last September.
As surprising as it probably seems, Holland and Diaz do have a history of their own outside the Octagon. But while the clash of names may come as a shock, the scenario is about as classic Nick Diaz as it could be.
After the former Strikeforce and WEC welterweight champion became agitated at the fact “Big Mouth” was apparently wearing “his shirt,” Holland says Diaz swung at him but failed to connect.
“It was funny. I think he was pretty sauced at the time though, so, you know, it’s alright. At the time, I used to be sponsored by this company named Specimen, right. So I had this shirt on from Specimen, and he was like, ‘Hey, that’s my shirt.’ But I had walked past him and I was like, ‘Yo, what’s up, OG?’ I guess he probably thought somebody was coming up to him and fanboying over him, but I was talking to my coach, I call my coach ‘OG.’
“I guess he felt some type of way. And he said something, so I said something back… He said like, that was his shirt, he was like, ‘You got on my fucking shirt,’ and I was like, ‘Bro, this ain’t your fucking shirt, what’re you talking about?’ I was like, ‘Bro, you must be fucked up.’ He was looking at me all crazy… Then, next thing I know, he like, swung at me… Fuck no (did he connect). I’m the type of person you takedown, not the type of person you hit in the face.”
While Diaz’s Future is Uncertain, Holland Will Move Down To WW
After Diaz’s return performance last September, many have called for the Stockton legend to hang up his gloves for good. But while that appears to be the general consensus, some are hoping to see the 38-year-old in action again in 2022. One of those names is Michael Bisping, who recently suggested Diaz should face Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in a clash of veterans.
The future is a lot more certain for Holland. After failing to break into title contention at 185 pounds thanks to the roadblocks of Derek Brunson and Marvin Vettori, and with Kyle Daukaus pre-occupied for the coming months, “Trailblazer” is set to return to welterweight, a division he’s yet to test the waters of in the UFC, but a weight he went 4-1 at before signing with the promotion.
With their career trajectories on firmly different paths, it seems Holland and Diaz’s brief scuffle in 2018 will be the closest we get to the pair squaring off inside the Octagon.
How do you think a fight in the Octagon between Kevin Holland and Nick Diaz would play out?
Kevin Holland has announced that he will be taking on Alex Oliveira at UFC 272.
A clash of UFC stars will be added to the upcoming UFC 272 fight card when Kevin Holland takes on Alex Oliveira. News of the bout was first leaked by Holland himself on his OnlyFans page. He stated that he has signed a contract to take on Oliveira at the event that takes place on March 5 in Las Vegas.
Holland followed up an amazing five-win 2020 with a less-than-stellar 2021. In his last three fights, he has lost two and had his most recent bout end in a no contest. That last outing was against Kyle Daukaus was the no contest that came from an accidental head clash. That bout was supposed to be run back, but Holland was forced out with an injury.
Looking to turn his losing streak around and pick up where he left off in 2020, Holland will look to take down Oliveira, who is a veteran of the sport. Oliveira is a fan favorite and well known by his nickname “Cowboy.” He is also riding a losing streak and has only won two fights in the last three years.
Holland will be moving down to welterweight for this bout after a tough go of it lately at 185 pounds. He is currently ranked 14 in the middleweight rankings, and Oliveira is unranked at this time. Both of these men are known for putting on exciting fights and both can end the fight at any point. This is a very fun matchup added to an already stacked card.
Here is the updated UFC 272 lineup. UFC Featherweight Champion Alex Volkanovski may also be replacing a short-notice replacement for Max Holloway, with The Korean Zombie currently the frontrunner to step in.
UFC Bantamweight Championship Bout: Aljamain Sterling (c) vs. Petr Yan
Edson Barboza vs. Bryce Mitchell
Kevin Holland vs. Alex Oliveira
Jessica Eye vs. Manon Fiorot
Mariya Agapova vs. Maryna Moroz
Dustin Jacoby vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
Tim Elliott vs. Tagir Ulanbekov
Marina Rodriguez vs. Yan Xiaonan
Who do you think will win at UFC 272, Kevin Holland or Alex Oliveira?
UFC middleweight prospect Kevin Holland thinks Khamzat Chimaev is for real and could present issues to some of the best fighters in the UFC.
Holland is looking to return sometime in January or February after multiple attempts at rebooking his fight with Kyle Daukaus have failed. He and Chimaev are two of the brightest young prospects on the UFC roster.
Holland, like many of his other UFC colleagues, hasn’t ignored what Chimaev has been able to do in the Octagon so far. During an interview with MMA journalist Helen Yee, Holland spoke about what impresses him about Chimaev’s rise.
“I think he’s big for welterweight,” Holland said. “He’s big for welterweight. He’s gonna give everybody problems, you know what I mean. The way he went through Jingliang. Man, that was crazy. It’s like, if you doubted him before that, it’s kinda hard to doubt him after that. I think he’s doing pretty good.”
“We were talking about it, me and my manager, and then me and one of my coaches, and honestly, I think that he gets straight to the title,” Holland said. “One more win and he gets a title shot. The motherf*cker’s just rag-dolling people. So, yeah, be good to see.”
Chimaev is coming off arguably the biggest win over his career at UFC 267 over Li Jingliang. He’s anticipating a return to the Octagon in early 2022 against a top contender.
Meanwhile, Holland is planning to commit to the welterweight division next year. While there’s respect for Chimaev from Holland, the two young UFC stars could be on a collision course if both find their footing in the welterweight division.
