Kevin Holland, known for his active fight schedule, might find greater success focusing on the welterweight division.
Returning to the 170-pound weight class at UFC London, Holland effectively neutralized Gunnar Nelson`s offensive strategies. He even scored a significant knockdown in the first round, coming close to finishing the fight early. Despite Nelson`s attempts to rally with submissions later on, Holland`s superior skill and consistent offense led him to victory.
The judges all agreed, scoring the bout 29-28 in favor of Holland, marking his return to the win column after previous losses in the middleweight division.
“I wasn’t certain how the decision would go. Gunnar is incredibly tough,” Holland admitted post-fight. “People doubt my grappling, but I can grapple well, especially against opponents closer to my size.”
“Welterweight suits me athletically. If a fight at 170 pounds is offered, July would be ideal. If it’s at 185 pounds, I’m ready as soon as next week.”
Initially, Nelson aimed to close the distance and secure takedowns against Holland`s striking. While Nelson did manage to get the fight to the ground, Holland actively threatened with submissions from his back, including an omo plata attempt. Nelson defended methodically and transitioned to his grappling game.
Holland was effective from bottom position before creating space and landing a powerful straight punch that dropped Nelson. Holland followed up with strikes from top position, appearing to land a final blow just as the round ended.
After the break, Nelson urgently sought to bring the fight back to the ground, but Holland prioritized staying on his feet. Nelson eventually succeeded in taking Holland down, but struggled to mount significant offense, with Holland even landing strikes from his back.
Back on their feet, Nelson persistently pursued takedowns, while Holland countered with knee strikes. Nelson again took Holland down and attempted an arm-triangle choke.
However, Holland successfully defended the submission attempt and returned to his feet, where he began to dominate the grappling specialist with strikes. Nelson was forced to hold on defensively, preventing Holland from creating space to attack further, ultimately reaching the end of the fight, but the outcome was already decided.
Although Holland has experienced mixed results at welterweight, he appears to be a more formidable competitor in this division. It remains to be seen whether he will remain at welterweight or return to middleweight for a more frequent fight schedule.
