An intriguing welterweight division clash between two-time division title challenger, Stephen Thompson, and recent UFC 279 co-headliner, Kevin Holland is slated to take main event honors at UFC Orlando on December 3. from the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.
In the midst of a two-fight losing streak, Thompson most recently dropped a unanimous decision loss against Belal Muhammad at UFC Vegas 45 back in December of last year.
Stephen Thompson draws Kevin Holland from a brief Octagon retirement
As for Holland, the Riverside native, who recently announced his retirement from professional mixed martial arts – dropped a short-notice D’Arce choke loss to the unbeaten, Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 279 last month. The UFC confirmed the pairing on their official Twitter account.
“Fight fans, have we got a gift for you,” The UFC tweeted. “@WonderboyMMA (Stephen Thompson) takes on @Trailblaze2top (Kevin Holland) in your #UFCOrlando main event!”
Fight fans, have we got a gift for you
@WonderboyMMA takes on @Trailblaze2top in your #UFCOrlando main event!
[ @AmwayCenter | Dec 3 | Tickets On-Sale Oct 14
— UFC (@ufc) October 5, 2022
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Prior to his loss against Muhammad, Thompson had co-headlined UFC 264 back in July of last year against one-time title chaser, Gilbert Burns – suffering a unanimous decision defeat.
Last striking a win back in December 2019, Simpsonville striker, Stephen Thompson headlined against Geoff Neal – securing a unanimous decision win to go with a prior decision success against Vicente Luque.
Twice competing for undisputed welterweight gold, Thompson battled Tyron Woodley to both a majority draw and then a majority decision loss.
In other notable UFC wins, Thompson has defeated the likes of Jorge Masvidal, Rory MacDonald, Johny Hendricks, Jake Ellenberger, Patrick Cote, and Robert Whittaker.
Seeing his two-fight winning run at welterweight halted in his days’ notice paring against Chimaev, Holland had enjoyed a run of two finishes over both Alex Oliveira, and Tim Means before his submission defeat to the Chechen-born berserker.
23-8(1) as a professional, Holland holds a prior middleweight victory over former Strikeforce champion, Jacare Souza to boot. The December showdown with Thompson will come as Holland’s third headlining fight under the UFC banner.