Kevin Holland takes on Jack Della Maddalena at Noche UFC this weekend in Las Vegas. This fight makes for a tough outing for both men, and promises to deliver a feast of quality striking. In this article, we take a closer look at one of the most dynamic and entertaining fighters in the UFC. This is a Kevin Holland breakdown.
The Tumultuous Career of Kevin Holland
Kevin Holland burst onto the scene and turned heads during his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series. The cocky, brash striker talked to his opponent throughout the fight and eventually earned himself a unanimous decision victory. Although he won, the UFC boss decided not to award him a contract on the back of that performance.
White saw his talent, but wanted more from Holland. On top of that, he was not a big fan of his attitude. Fate would present Holland with the opportunity of a lifetime soon after though, as White called on ‘Trailblazer’ to step up and face Thiago Santos at UFC 227. Santos’ original opponent pulled out of the fight, and Holland was lauded for taking such a dangerous fight at short notice.
Santos would go on to win via unanimous decision, but Holland performed admirably. During the fight, his unique personality was on show again as he kept talking to his opponent. At one stage while on the wrong end of some ground and pound from Santos, Holland exclaimed how uncomfortable the situation was for him, and Santos appeared to see the funny side of the American’s antics. Holland was now in the UFC and things were just beginning.
2020: The Year of Kevin Holland
After the Santos fight, Holland went on to win his next three. He was defeated by Brendan Allen in October 2019 though, and few expected what came next for ‘Trailblazer’. The Covid pandemic struck the world at the beginning of 2020, but Dana White and the UFC insisted the show would go on.
Holland was the standout fighter during this period, winning five fights in a row. Incredibly, four out of five of these fights ended in a finish for Holland. Most notably, a TKO against Joaquin Buckley after a beautiful jab and cross combination, and a KO win versus Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza. Somehow Holland managed to knock out Souza with hammer fists while on his back.
Holland was now well and truly on the map in the UFC, especially after equaling the UFC record of most fights won in a calendar year.
Wrestling Strengths and Weaknesses
Holland has a reasonably strong takedown game and once on top, can be very dangerous with his strikes and submissions. When up against strong wrestlers though, he has been taken down at will and controlled from there. Holland fought Derek Brunson and Marvin Vettori back-to-back in 2021, and they proved to be too much for him – he was defeated by unanimous decision in both fights after being outwrestled.
His wrestling defence seems to have improved, and this was evident in his most recent victory against Michael Chiesa. He stopped multiple takedown attempts before submitting Chiesa with a D’Arce choke.
After a no-contest due to a clash of heads against Kyle Daukaus, Holland bounced back and beat Alex Oliveira via TKO and Tim Means by Submission. His decision to return to welterweight for these bouts paid off -170 pounds looked like home for Holland.
The Striking of Kevin Holland
His short notice catchweight fight against Khamzat Chimaev did not go to plan, and he was submitted in the first round. Subsequently, he was matched up against the versatile striker Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson and the pair put on a fight of the night performance. It was a back-and-forth affair for the first two rounds, but Thompson began to pull away in the third and fourth. Holland’s excellent striking was on display early as he lanced Thompson with right hands and landed elbows and punches in the clinch.
In the third, ‘Wonderboy’ hurt Holland with kicks to the body and the head. As the fight progressed, Holland began to fight more defensively as Thompson did more damage. Eventually, the fight was stopped by Holland’s corner after the fourth.
Holland is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but his striking ability is what we see more often. He has a solid jab, as well as a strong overhand right. His straight punches are fast and powerful and his side kicks and front kicks can be dangerous weapons.
Noche UFC: Kevin Holland vs Jack Della Maddalena
Holland knocked out Santiago Ponzinibbio before his impressive win against Chiesa. Kevin Holland vs JDM at Noche UFC is likely to be a standup battle, and a fun one at that. Della Maddalena is one of the most talked about fighters from Australia after his win on Dana White’s Contender Series. Holland will be a step up in competition for him, but that doesn’t mean he is out of his depth – this is good matchmaking from the UFC.
JDM won his last fight via split decision against a game Bassil Hafez. Both fighters landed big shots, but Della Maddalena made some questionable decisions in the grappling department. If this fight goes to the ground, Holland might have the advantage there.
On the feet, JDM is a skilled boxer who throws effective combinations in the pocket. Holland is a big welterweight and possesses a lot of power and athleticism. However, it will be interesting to see if Holland can withstand the pressure and combinations of Della Maddalena.
‘Trailblazer’ has certainly made a big impact on the UFC and he has improved his skillset significantly. The 30-year-old has toned down the trash talking and seems to be much more focused on fighting and achieving his goals. If he continues on the path that he is on and he is smart when picking his targets, we may see Holland competing for a UFC belt down the line.
Featured image credit to Embed from Getty Images
