Kevin Holland is known to be a fighter willing to scrap with anyone Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) puts in his way, but “Trailblazer” has issued a warning to welterweight upstart, Ian Garry, to stay far, far away.
Holland, who floats between 170 and 185 pounds, returned to the UFC win column after a knockout win over Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC 287 (watch HERE). The man known as “Trailblazer” spent most of that fight week getting into pre-fight altercations with Jorge Masvidal, but when the lights turned on Holland laid waste to Ponzinibbio to stop the bleeding from back-to-back losses to Khamzat Chimaev and Stephen Thompson.
Fresh off a win Holland is already looking to get back into action. While the UFC mercenary is willing to go to war with just about anybody Holland is leaning towards a matchup with welterweight veteran Michael Chiesa, who was originally expected to fight Li Jingliang at UFC 287 before the fight fell apart.
“I think May would be really quick, but I think that I would be rightfully so ready for a Chiesa fight if he wanted to step in there in May,” Holland told MMA Junkie Radio. “If not, we could do it after May, or whoever they have lined up for me, whenever they want me to go. It really doesn’t matter. If I get to go soon, awesome. If not, I could wait until slightly after July.”
“… Chiesa was just hot on the mind because he had a chance to fight on the card, didn’t get a chance to fight on the card. I never know what another man’s making, I never know what another man’s doing, I never know if another man has plans with his money that he’s potentially about to make, but I can at least offer a man a chance to get his show money by whooping his f—king ass. So, that’s the least I can do.”
Another possible opponent for Holland might be Garry, but the Irish sensation is already booked to fight Daniel Rodriguez at UFC on ABC 4 this coming May. Garry has called out Holland in the past and it seems like an exciting matchup on paper. However, Holland isn’t sold that “The Future” is ready for the step up in competition.
“I seen Ian Garry called my name,” Holland said. “I think the dude is on a hell of a trajectory. I think he’s doing great things. I think he’s on the way to the top, and if he feels that I’m a name that he needs to help himself to the top, I think he should stay far the f*ck away, because he likes to strike and he does get dropped with a left hook. If you’ve seen my left hook these days, like I said, newfound relationship. It hurts. And the right hand, by time he’s ready to fight, will be crisp.
“I just don’t think it’s a smart fight for Ian Garry right this second. Like I said, maybe one day he’ll be a titleholder and I’ll be a BMF holder, and we can clash it up for big dollars or something like that.”
What do you think, fight fans? Does a Holland vs. Garry matchup wet your beak?
Sound off!