Who Is UFC’s Iron Man in the Octagon?
Since 2020, Kevin Holland has been the most active fighter in the UFC. Totaling 20 fights in five years. This Saturday, he returns for his 21st fight against Gunnar Nelson on short notice. Holland continues to live up to his reputation of being an entertaining fighter. In a time where many fighters compete just twice a year, Holland’s willingness to fight and be active is unheard of. Holland initially caught people’s eye for fighting five times in 2020, winning all of them. His constant trash-talking during fights, stand-and-bang style, and his activity in general made him an easy fan favorite.
Holland’s career hasn’t all been good, though, after winning five fights in 2020, in 2021, he went 0-2-1. Holland would bounce back slightly in 2022, going 2-2. However, in Holland’s last five fights, he’s 1-4. Many believe that this is due to Holland taking fights on short notice and not caring. He has told the media many times that he does not care to win a UFC Championship but rather to make the most money. He has faced criticism from fans for his inconsistency in his recent performances.
While Holland started off as a massive fan favorite, his attitude has come across as cocky and bitter to some as of late. He recently went on the Jaxxon podcast, where he got into a heated and awkward argument with one of the hosts of the podcast and UFC Hall of Famer Rampage Jackson. This turned many fans off from Kevin Holland, as they didn’t like how disrespectful he was to Jackson. Regardless, Holland has continued with this same personality, not seeming to care what people think of it.
As he prepares for his fight Saturday many fans wonder what version of Kevin Holland they’ll see. Will his high-activity approach pay off or will he suffer another loss? If Holland can implement his style of striking at a distance, many believe he will win the fight against Nelson, who is predominantly a wrestler. Win or lose, one thing is certain, Kevin Holland will be back in the Octagon soon because that’s what he does.
