Kevin Holland recently claimed that he would've fought Jack Della Maddalena in Australia if the UFC promised to cover the taxes on his generated income. It seems the welterweight contender's concerns about losing money on foreign taxes were legitimate.
Catch Holland's comments below (9:55):
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UFC lightweight contender John Makdeesi recently took to social media to share details about his payment for competing at UFC 293. Makdeesi faced Jamie Mullarkey in a 155-pound contest and lost the fight via unanimous decision. Makdeesi earned a gross of $58,000 as his prize money for showing up.
Unfortunately, the Canadian fighter took home only $28,461. MMA journalist Aaron Bronsteter recently reposted a tweet by @mma_orbit, showing how Makdeesi's total earnings were cut by more than half due to deductions and Australian taxes.
The remittance slip showed how John Makdeesi had $3,171 deducted from his pre-tax net show purse for his medical exam and airfares. Following that, the Australian Federal Tax cost him another $26,100, leaving Makdeesi with $28,461. Bronsteter captioned the post:
"If you were wondering why Kevin Holland didn't want to face Jack Della Maddalena in Australia."
Kevin Holland and Jack Della Maddalena are set to throw down in the co-main event of Noche UFC this weekend. The UFC's Mexican Independence Day special event will go down at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Noche UFC will be headlined by a title rematch between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko.
Noche UFC: Kevin Holland claims he's not keen on fighting for the title
Kevin Holland recently discussed his future plans in the UFC and claimed he isn't among those fighters who constantly angle for a title shot.
During the recent media day presser, 'Trailblazer' was asked about the 170-pound title picture and why he wasn't focused on a championship opportunity. Holland made it clear that he didn't care about the title and was focused on getting paid while fighting world-class opponents. He said:
"Doesn’t really bother me, I’m not really the guy looking for a belt. I’m just looking to stay active... I like how I get paid, and the way I get paid is to show up and to win fights... I don’t concern myself with belts whatsoever... Why are you guys so focused on the f*cking belt all the time?"
Kevin Holland is on an impressive two-fight win streak, with two consecutive stoppage victories over Michael Chiesa and Santiago Pinzinibbio. Before beating Chiesa via first-round submission at UFC 291, Holland secured a third-round knockout over Ponzinibbio at UFC 287. He's now looking to extend his unbeaten streak over Jack Della Maddalena at Noche UFC this weekend.