Surging middleweight contender Kevin Holland just broke the internet. Well, he did it with his latest announcement, and not with a funny tweet or Instagram post. The UFC star just announced his move to 170 lbs, i.e. welterweight division of the promotion.
After 5 consecutive wins, 2021 saw him suffer two consecutive losses. Also, his last fight ended in a no-contest after an accidental clash of heads. As it wasn’t going the way Holland had intended, he took the decision to move down.
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In the post, which also was his effort to promote a brand, ‘Trailblazer’ wrote, “Verified In 2022 I’m taking my talents to the 170lb division with the help of @iconmeals ! SIMPLE. CONVENIENT, FRESH, & AFFORDABLE MEALS TO KEEP YOU ON TRACK EVEN AFTER THANKSGIVING!”
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Kevin Holland has already competed in the 170lbs division earlier in his career. Hence, this will more or less will be his return to the weight class, but he never fought at that weight in UFC. In multiple instances, he has already expressed his desires to compete at that weight and it looks like it will finally happen in 2022.
Kevin Holland is working with his team and UFC to transition smoothly
Fighters mostly do not fight at their normal weight and prefer to cut some weight. This strategy allows them to fight smaller and much lighter opponents, which can grant them some advantage. After testing himself in the middleweight division, Holland realized that welterweight would help him get back into the win column.
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According to a report by MMAJunkie, Holland, along with his team, have been making trips to the UFC’s Performance Institute. Per the article, Oren Hodak, Holland’s manager, had stated that ‘Trailblazer’ is currently undergoing physical therapy for his injuries, while he also cleared the concussion test. His team is also working on ways to make the weight cut happen, and how to pull it off in the safest way possible.
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Last year, ‘Trailblazer’ was aiming to make his UFC welterweight debut against Daniel Rodriguez, but sadly, he suffered a shoulder injury.
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Now Holland’s addition to the 170 lbs division will only make things intriguing for the fans. This weight class has found a dominant champion in Kamaru Usman, who has already cleared the division. As new contenders are the need of the hour, Holland will look to trail blaze to the top.