Daniel Rodriguez says fighting Kevin Holland is essential for his career: ‘He’s a chapter in my career that I just have to know what the f**k is gonna happen’
Daniel Rodriguez believes he needs to fight Kevin Holland before his career is over.
Rodriguez and Holland were booked to fight one another on May 30, 2022 as Holland was set to drop down to welterweight less than a month after beating Anthony Hernandez. However, ‘Trailblazer’ suffered a shoulder injury and the fight was scratched.
Since then, the two have called each other out and were booked to fight at UFC 279. Yet, after the scuffle at the press conference and Khamzat Chimaev missing weight, the fight was scratched. Holland ended up facing Chimaev while Rodriguez took on Li Jingliang on the card.
Now, as Rodriguez is set to face Neil Magny in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 64, he makes it known he has to fight Holland before his career is up.
“I really want to fight Kevin Holland. I’m looking forward to fighting him in the future. I’m down to fight him next. The winner of him vs. ‘Wonderboy’ or whatever,” Rodriguez said at UFC Vegas 64 media day. “I’m waiting for him. He’s a dude that I have to fight. He’s a chapter in my career that I just have to know what the f**k is gonna happen, or what would’ve happened.”
If Daniel Rodriguez beats Neil Magny and Kevin Holland defeats Stephen Thompson in the main event of UFC Orlando on December 3 then the scrap would make sense. Both men would be in the top-10 and the fight could be the main event, but it is a scrap that will likely happen as both have continuously called for it.
Rodriguez (17-2) is coming off a split decision win over Jingliang to extend his win streak to four. Also on the win streak, he beat Kevin Lee by decision, TKO’d Preston Parsons and beat Mike Perry in the UFC. Inside the Octagon, he also has wins over Tim Means, Dwight Grant, and Gabe Green. His lone loss in the UFC was a controversial decision to Nicolas Dalby
