“I fight for my financial lifestyle…I never came to the UFC to fight for a world title,” said Kevin Holland, the UFC two-weight class fighter who debuted in the promotion at 26 through DWCS 2.1. Before joining the UFC, ‘Trailblazer’ competed in various other promotions. Now, at 33 years old, he has established himself as one of the most active and versatile fighters in the UFC. Just how active? You may be surprised to hear that the Riversidian has already surpassed reigning heavyweight champion Jon Jones in UFC fight count.
In just under seven years, Kevin Holland, who has competed in both the welterweight and middleweight divisions, has accumulated 25 UFC fights, including his DWCS bout. In comparison, Jon Jones, who debuted in the UFC back in 2008, has participated in 24 UFC fights. This weekend, ‘Trailblazer’ is set to continue his active career as the UFC returns to London for its 16th event. Just two months after his last fight, the Californian is ready to step into the Octagon once again, this time against Icelandic sensation Gunnar Nelson.
Despite his active schedule, Michael Bisping sees a major challenge for Holland heading into the Nelson fight. In a recent YouTube video, the former middleweight champ highlighted the difficulties the Riversidian faces with his heavy workload and frequent switching between weight classes. While MMA fans find the former Bellator fighter “entertaining“, including Bisping, he also emphasized Holland’s remarkable 2020 campaign, where he won all five of his fights in quick succession.
However, since that streak, Kevin Holland has “struggled,” with Bisping pointing to several disappointing losses: “That’s kind of been the problem with Kevin Holland. He is so entertaining, he really is. A lot of the time, win or lose, he bounces up and down through different weight classes…The problem is, he’s lost four out of his last five. Reinier de Ridder choked him out in the first round. Roman Dolidze got a stoppage at the end of the first round (to be fair, he busted his rib, but he was also getting pounded on badly). He lost to Michael ‘Venom’ Page by decision, and Jack Della Maddalena in a split decision.”
MMA: UFC 311 Holland vs de Ridder Jan 18, 2025, Inglewood, California, USA Kevin Holland red gloves fights Reinier de Ridder blue gloves during UFC 311 at Intuit Dome. Inglewood Intuit Dome California USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xGaryxA.xVasquezx 20250118_jhp_sv5_0280
Currently on a two-fight losing streak, the Californian is 1-4 in his last five Octagon appearances. His defeats include middleweight losses to Reinier De Ridder and Roman Dolidze, both in the first round, with his only win coming against Michal Oleksiejczuk. Before that, he suffered two welterweight losses to Michael ‘Venom’ Page and Australian Jack Della Maddalena. Despite the ups and downs, ‘Trailblazer’ has made it clear that his focus isn’t on titles or rankings—he’s all about financial stability. The ‘Performance of the Night’ bonuses are what matter most to him.
With seven such bonuses in less than seven years in the UFC, including three in 2020 alone, the veteran has proven that his goal was more than just victories; it’s about delivering entertaining performances. As he looks ahead to his second fight of the year, Kevin Holland has a bold game plan for 2025, one designed to leave a lasting impression on everyone in the promotion. Let’s take a look.
How many UFC appearances does Kevin Holland aim for in 2025?
With Donald Cerrone on temporary retirement, Kevin Holland has stepped up as the fighter willing to take on anyone, anywhere, anytime. Back in 2022, he made his intentions clear to Dana White and the UFC brass, stating, “If I can’t fight four to five times a year, retire me, I don’t need to fight anymore.” Now, years later, the California native is still staying true to his word. At 32, he intends to remain active until he’s 36. Heading into the first quarter of 2025, Holland has already fought twice, including a bout at UFC 311 during the year’s first pay-per-view event.
It seems that he envisions surpassing Jim Miller for the most fights in UFC history. In January 2025, ahead of his scheduled fight with de Ridder, Kevin Holland outlined his goal for the year: “Ideally, I’d like to fight six times. Think six would be easy and realistically, I could probably do seven, and make sure that nobody ever catches up again. Back in 2020, I didn’t have much time to work, yet I still got a lot done. This year, I’m starting early with it being January, so I’ve got plenty of time to get things done.”
Now, what do you think of Michael Bisping’s remarks? Do you feel that constantly shifting between two divisions and putting his body through so much strain is a smart move for Kevin Holland, given his unique goals compared to other fighters? Share your thoughts below.
The post Michael Bisping Highlights Kevin Holland’s Biggest ‘Problem’ Leading to UFC London Fight With Gunnar Nelson appeared first on EssentiallySports.
