An exciting middleweight bout between Derek Brunson and Kevin Holland is set to headline the UFC’s upcoming March 20 event.
That’s according to ESPN’s Brett Okamoto who reported the news Tuesday adding that while contracts have not been signed, both sides have agreed to a five-round main event.
It will be another high-profile opponent for Holland who continues to enjoy a meteoric rise in the middleweight division. The 28-year-old is coming off a first-round knockout win over Jacare Souza earlier this month and also became one of the few fighters to go 5-0 in a calendar year after an undefeated 2020.
He is currently ranked No. 10 as a result and will look to climb further up the ranks with a win over the No. 7-ranked Brunson who is on a tear himself.
After suffering two defeats in a row in 2018, Brunson has since bounced back with three consecutive wins including his most recent TKO finish over Edmen Shahbazyan in August.
Holland notably called for a fight with Brunson in a recent interview and had a unique reason for wanting the fight.
“I would love for it to be. I would love for it to be,” Holland said earlier this month of Brunson being his next opponent. “If you keep speaking it, it may just happen! We’ve had a few little talks. We were supposed to be on the same card when he fought Edmen Shahbazyan. I was supposed to fight Trevin Giles.
“I was lowkey hoping his fight fell apart so I could fight him that night. Didn’t work out. I was watching him work out in the backroom. He just looks weird when he warms up, he just strikes so funny to me. I want to beat him up because I don’t like the way he strikes. It just looks awkward. It’s like a disrespect to striking. It’s sad that he’s knocked out strikers before with that weird striking.”
It appears Holland has received his wish.
Who do you have winning this fight?