Kevin Holland doesn’t plan to wrestle Stephen Thompson, confident he can outstrike ‘Wonderboy’
Kevin Holland is confident he can outstrike Stephen Thompson.
Holland and Thompson are set to headline UFC Orlando on December 3 in a pivotal fight for both men. Both are looking to return to the win column as Holland is coming off a submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev while ‘Wonderboy’ is coming off back-to-back losses.
Heading into this fight, many expect it to be a striking matchup, and that is the plan for Holland too, as he doesn’t want to wrestle Thompson.
“It’s not really a stand-and-bang (fight), it’s a real technical standup fight, and you have to implement certain things to get to ‘Wonderboy’ and have your way with ‘Wonderboy.’ I plan on implementing those things, and I plan on showing that I can strike with the best of them. Its’s just a very, very fun matchup,” Holland said backstage at UFC 281. “Talk about a guy that’s fought for a world title, that’s fought some of the best out there at the top of the weight class for a long time. If you do want a number next to your name, you have to go through somebody like that.”
Kevin Holland says he knows wrestling Stephen Thompson is the easier path to victory, but he has all the confidence in his striking. He thinks he can KO him as Anthony Pettis did and plans to go forward against Thompson.
“He’s lost to people who’ve decided to grapple the whole time,” Holland said of Thompson. “People who decide to strike with him usually don’t have a good night, unless you’re Anthony Pettis. I think I’m just as creative as Anthony, even though he’s shown a lot of creativity inside that octagon, that cage. But yeah, against ‘Wonderboy’ there’s only one way to go, and that’s forward.”
Holland, as mentioned, is 23-8 and one No Contest is still 2-0 since dropping down to welterweight as his last fight was a catchweight bout against Chimaev.
