UFC CEO Dana White was visibly concerned by Kevin Holland`s peculiar behavior during his fight against Derek Brunson in March 2021, which brought an end to Holland`s impressive winning streak.
Known as `Trailblazer`, Holland had a remarkable 2020, securing five consecutive victories in the UFC and positioning himself as a contender for Fighter of the Year.
However, this winning momentum was halted at UFC Vegas 22. In the main event, veteran middleweight Derek Brunson effectively nullified Holland`s offense by controlling him with wrestling, leading to a decisive loss for Holland.
During the unusual performance, which included Holland talking to observers at cageside like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Dana White became worried. He expressed concerns that Holland might be experiencing a mental breakdown mid-fight.
Dana White`s Strong Reaction
Kevin Holland is well-known for his in-fight commentary and trash-talking, but his actions at UFC Vegas 22 were different and raised alarms.
Speaking after the event, Dana White did not hide his deep concern regarding Holland`s mid-fight antics.
“I think that was a mental breakdown,” White stated to Yahoo! Sports.
He drew a comparison to a notorious boxing match, saying, “The only other thing I saw like it was when Lennox Lewis fought that guy [Oliver McCall] who kept his hands at his side and was crying.”
White added, “I don’t know what he was doing. I think he might not have been able to handle the pressure and just broke mentally. I haven’t seen anything like that.”
What`s Next for Kevin Holland?
Since the fight against Derek Brunson, Kevin Holland`s record stands at 6 wins and 8 losses in his subsequent 14 bouts.
However, he recently returned to the win column in March at UFC London, defeating Gunnar Nelson by decision.
The 32-year-old fighter is now looking to secure consecutive victories as he prepares to face veteran welterweight Vicente Luque this weekend.
Their fight is scheduled for the undercard of the highly anticipated Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley 2 event, taking place Saturday night in Newark, New Jersey.
Gareth Pendleton