Kevin Holland made all the right moves in 2020, winning five fights in seven months. In contrast, 2021 hasn't been too kind to 'Trailblazer', who has lost both his bouts so far this year. However, he still won respect from the MMA community for signing up to fight Marvin Vettori on short notice after Darren Till had to withdraw from the bout owing to a collarbone injury.
Kevin Holland lost his first fight of 2021 against Derek Brunson by getting dominated on the ground. Brunson exposed the gaping holes in Holland's wrestling and took advantage, even as Holland tried to get some wrestling tips from Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was in attendance.
Kevin Holland has received multiple offers to improve his wrestling
At UFC Vegas 24, Luis Pena won a decision victory over Alex Munoz. The man known as the 'violent Bob Ross' secured the 'W' but was criticized for his fighting style, with many claiming that Munoz should have won the bout.
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Nonetheless, after the announcement, Pena walked over to the octagon-side camera and offered to train Kevin Holland in 'long boy wrestling'. Luis Pena trains at ATT (American Top Team), which is home to some of the best names in martial arts, including Dustin Poirer and Jorge Masvidal.
While the offer is gracious, we doubt Kevin Holland will take Pena up on it, considering he's received a similar offer from former two-division champion Daniel Cormier. 'DC', a former Olympian who has trained with greats like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Luke Rockhold, and Cain Velasquez at AKA (American Kickboxing Academy). DC offered to help Kevin Holland improve his wrestling. Cormier called Holland the 'breakout fighter of 2020' and believes 'Trailblazer' has the makings of a champion if he can make the necessary adjustments.
Kevin Holland is aware of his flaws and has minced no words in interviews or his social media posts regarding the same. He has repeatedly poked fun at himself and shared memes about his lack of takedown defense.
Fans have also repeatedly called for Kevin Holland to be sent to Dagestan for a few months so he can work on his wrestling. Holland, being the person he is, responded with a meme to show his hypothetical Dagestani transformation.