Kevin Holland may have come up short during his recent outing at UFC Vegas 22, but the trash-talking middleweight is all about the entertainment.
After disappointing UFC president Dana White with his antics during his 185-pound clash against Derek Brunson, there seemed to be some sort of friction between the boss and 'Big Mouth'.
Speaking to Yahoo! Sports after the fight, Dana White said:
“I think that was a mental breakdown. 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. 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.”
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Following an impressive five-fight win streak, Kevin Holland seemed like the name to beat in the middleweight division. While his explosive knockout finish of Jacare Souza created a lot of hype for 'Trail Blazer', the 28-year old appeared to look a gameplan against a tough and durable Brunson.
After dealing with Brunson's relentless takedown pressure, Kevin Holland, somehow, managed to go the distance when the two clashed. However, there was no question about who won the fight.
After losing the fight to Brunson, Kevin Holland came out and addressed the critics who had bitter things to say about his brash antics. Speaking candidly about the fight, Holland said:
“I'm never gonna stop talking. If you guys don’t f**king like it, deuces. I’m gonna be me till I die. I never said I wanted to be the champ. I said I wanted to have a good time and that I did. On to the next.”
While this seemed like a genuine statement from Kevin Holland, Dana White was having none of it. Speaking of the matter with TMZ Sports, Holland spoke at length about how he was going to play by the rules going forward.
"I can understand where he's [Dana White] coming from. He's the boss and he writes my cheques, so he has the ultimate say in that situation. Other than that, everybody else can s**k it. If the boss says something, you listen. I appreciate him for being the real individual that he is and I respect it. So no hard feelings on my behalf, ever."
Kevin Holland is a talented prospect in the middleweight division and wants to get on the path to championship contention. Scheduled to face Marvin Vettori in his upcoming bout at UFC on ABC 2, 'Trail Blazer' will look to bring his A-game to the Octagon.
What are your predictions for Kevin Holland's upcoming fight against Marvin Vettori? Be sure to leave your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below!