UFC President Dana White was visibly concerned when Kevin Holland`s impressive winning streak came to an end in a peculiar fight back in March 2021.
`Trailblazer` had put together a strong run in 2020, securing five consecutive victories that even placed him in discussions for Fighter of the Year.
However, this successful period concluded abruptly against seasoned middleweight contender Derek Brunson at UFC Vegas 22. Brunson effectively utilized his wrestling to control and largely neutralize the offense of the usually talkative American fighter in the main event.
During the course of this unusual performance, Holland was seen interacting with Khabib Nurmagomedov, who was seated cageside. This strange behavior led UFC CEO Dana White to voice worries that the fighter might have been experiencing a mid-fight mental lapse or “meltdown.”
Dana White`s Strong Reaction to the Fight Performance
Kevin Holland is well-known for his propensity to talk during his fights, but his conduct at UFC Vegas 22 was particularly out of the ordinary.
Following the event, the UFC CEO candidly expressed his 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 the fight against Derek Brunson, Kevin Holland`s record has been mixed, with losses in eight of his subsequent fourteen bouts.
However, in March, he bounced back into the win column with a decision victory over Gunnar Nelson at UFC London.
Now 32 years old, `Trailblazer` is looking to secure a second consecutive win this weekend against experienced welterweight Vicente Luque.
Their upcoming fight is scheduled for the undercard of the highly anticipated Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley 2 event, taking place in Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday night.
