close
close

UFC 302: Kevin Holland offered a fight with the MMA legend

Posted on by angelo
UFC 302: Kevin Holland offered a fight with the MMA legend

There are no easy fights in the UFC.

Just ask Kevin Holland, a Texas native with a wealth of experience facing some of MMA’s biggest names such as Khamzat Chimaev, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and Michael “Venom” Page, who Holland welcomed to the weight division promotion’s welterweight at UFC 299.

After dropping a few spots in the rankings following a loss to debutant Page, Holland then fielded an attractive fight offer from the UFC that left “Trailblazer” at a career crossroads.

UFC News: Dustin Poirier fights 2 opponents at UFC 302

March 9, 2024; Miami, Florida, United States; Michael Page (blue gloves) fights Kevin Holland (red gloves) during UFC 299 at Kayesa Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

March 9, 2024; Miami, Florida, United States; Michael Page (blue gloves) fights Kevin Holland (red gloves) during UFC 299 at Kayesa Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

“I was supposed to fight at 170 against a pretty well-known opponent, but they say he didn’t get to fight until August,” Holland said at the UFC 302 media day. “So I thought, ‘Damn, it’s been a long time.’ They’re like, ‘Brother, it’s just another month.’ And I’m like, ‘No, it’s too long.'”

Holland revealed that the UFC has lined up a welterweight fight for him with former Strikeforce champion and UFC title challenger Nick Diaz later this summer. It appears the plan was for Netherlands to face Diaz at UFC Abu Dhabi on August 3, but after growing impatient, Netherlands fought Michał Oleksiejczuk instead.

The two fighters meet at middleweight this weekend at UFC 302.

“I got this (next fight), I’m happy with it. I guess this fight is not going to go back, because I see he just got a warning, so we’ll see what happens next “Holland said of Diaz’s new warning against Vicente Luque.

UFC News: Nick Diaz, Tony Ferguson and more return for Stacked Abu Dhabi Card

September 25, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, United States; Nick Diaz steps in for a hit against Robbie Lawler during UFC 266 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

September 25, 2021; Las Vegas, Nevada, United States; Nick Diaz steps in for a hit against Robbie Lawler during UFC 266 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

A former welterweight title challenger, Diaz still fights against ranked contenders today. A withdrawal from competition or a “tune-up” fight wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world for Diaz, who will soon turn 41, but that doesn’t appear to be in the cards based on his latest booking. against Luque.

“No, I knew he would come back to fight,” Holland replied when asked if he was surprised by Diaz’s return. “I just thought I was going to smoke it, and then I was going to smoke Luque too. But these two are fighting, so they can smoke each other. Two big ass joints.”

With cannabis illegal in Abu Dhabi (and the fact that it’s halfway around the world for the American), Kevin Holland said he probably wasn’t going to make the trip overseas for a historic fight with Nick Diaz anyway.

Fans can expect to see Diaz step into the Octagon for the first time since 2021 when he meets Luque on August 3, and this Saturday night, Holland will attempt to end a two-fight skid when he faces Oleksiejczuk on the main card of UFC 302. in Newark, New Jersey.

UFC Report: Top-Ranked Light Heavyweights Added to Abu Dhabi Fight Night

If you use quotes from this article, please leave an H/T at MMAKnockout.com for the transcription.

Stay with MMA KO for daily coverage of UFC, MMA, WWE and AEW.

Follow MMA Knockout on TwitterInstagram and Facebook.