UFC CEO Dana White was visibly concerned following Kevin Holland’s unusual performance in March 2021, which ended his impressive winning streak.
Known as ‘Trailblazer’, Holland had put together five consecutive victories in 2020, earning recognition in the Fighter of the Year discussions.
However, Holland`s momentum was abruptly halted against seasoned middleweight contender Derek Brunson. In the main event of UFC Vegas 22, Brunson effectively neutralized the talkative American through wrestling.
During the peculiar fight against Brunson, Kevin Holland was even seen seeking advice from Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was seated cageside. This strange in-fight behavior left Dana White worried that one of his athletes was experiencing a mid-fight mental breakdown.
Dana White`s Strong Reaction
Kevin Holland is well-known for his verbal exchanges inside the Octagon, but his actions at UFC Vegas 22 seemed to take it to an unprecedented level.
Speaking after the event, White expressed deep concern regarding Holland’s antics during the bout.
“I think that was a mental breakdown,” White told Yahoo! Sports.
“The only other thing I saw like it was when Lennox Lewis fought that guy [Oliver McCall] who kept his hands at his side and was crying.
“I don’t know what he was doing. I think he might not have been able to handle the pressure and just broke mentally.
“I haven’t seen anything like that.”
What’s Next for Kevin Holland?
Since his loss to Derek Brunson, Kevin Holland`s fight record has been inconsistent, with eight losses in his subsequent fourteen bouts.
However, in March, he secured a victory by outpointing Gunnar Nelson at UFC London, getting back into the win column.
The 32-year-old fighter aims for a second consecutive win this weekend against veteran welterweight Vicente Luque.
Their clash is scheduled for the undercard of the Merab Dvalishvili vs Sean O’Malley 2 event, taking place in Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday night.
