UFC Hall of Famer Michael Bisping believes Kevin Holland gave away his fight against Stephen Thompson at UFC Orlando.
Bisping criticized Holland’s performance immediately following Saturday’s event, pointing to a fateful sequence early in the fight where the talkative welterweight had Thompson down on the canvas. Instead of trying to do damage, Holland let his opponent up. It was not the last time he did so over the four-round fight.
“We see all the time, people say, ‘The first one to shoot is a coward,’” Bisping said during the UFC Orlando post-fight show on ESPN+. “But then guess what, people shoot, because you know what, it’s allowed in the rules. It’s a mixed martial arts contest. This was one of the first times, and maybe the only time, I’ve actually seen somebody truly live up to that.
“Kevin Holland had top position. Clearly. A couple of times, he was like, ‘No, no, no. We’re going to strike. That’s what we came here to do.’ I believe he will regret that decision going forward, because that was his ego getting the better of him.
“This is not a popularity contest in terms of, ‘Oh, everyone thinks I’m a real badass guy.’ No, you come here to win a fight. This is high stakes. Do you want to be a champion? Do you want to earn a lot of money? Do you want to be known as one of the best fighters in the world, or a guy who puts on a show and possibly gives away a victory. That was not high fight IQ.”
UFC commentator Jon Anik intervened before Bisping could expound, but the criticism harkened back to Holland’s early days in the promotion. UFC President Dana White famously called out “Trailblazer” for being too chatty with his opponents, a knock the welterweight made light of but didn’t heed.
When his career hit a skid with back-to-back losses, Holland appeared to turn a corner, focusing more on his wrestling and refraining from near-constant talking in the octagon. Over time, however, the habit slowly returned, and on Saturday, it was in full form.
Much of the time Holland and Thompson spent in the octagon together was as friendly as it was violent. The two regularly gave each other high fives. Holland playfully ribbed Thompson’s speed and smiled at his attacks, and Thompson returned the gesture. As the fight went on, however, the seriousness of Thompson’s work wiped the smile off Holland’s face, and as the fight went into championship rounds, he appeared to be suffering badly from the punishment he’d taken including a hand injury.
At the end of the fourth round, Holland survived a near-finish after Thompson dropped him with a punch. But when he took his stool at the end of the round, he signaled he couldn’t continue, and his corner threw in the towel.
Holland afterward disclosed that he suffered a broken hand in the first round of the fight. He was transferred to the hospital immediately after the event.
Holland has all the physical talent in the world but dogshit fight IQ. Imagine if Wonderboy had been blessed with either Holland’s chin or his power, he’d have been a dominant champion.
Stephen finally let his weapons fire.
He looked his best in years
This. Technique goes out the window
What Bisping said is right, but these guys are fighters.
Sometimes you want to fight, be a dog, have a good ole scrap and see who the better guy is toe to toe.
We all enjoyed it, and low fight IQ or not - their stocks were raised and their bank. More to come from both.
I remember getting reprimanded by others because I said I thought that Holland just doesn’t really sound like the smartest guy. Looks like I was proven right once again
Also correct. Fun fight
Fuck spitsping. Cheating pos.
I think Holland would have done better if he fought mma, but he still would have lost. Wonderboy isn’t that easy to takedown or submit
I don’t necessarily think the fight was evidence of lack of intelligence or even low fight IQ.
He made it clear he wanted a stand up fight, and that’s the way he fought. I think you can argue that he didn’t go in with a winning strategy, but I don’t think winning was his highest priority.
So i don’t think you were “proven right once again” about anything.
I agree , entertaining brawl
He has been in his last 2 fights. Also Holland is a bjj black belt who got top position twice but gave it up intentionally.
Holland is a great grappler but I still think he loses that fight. He might beat up Wonderboy a little on the ground but Wonderboy works his way back to his feet. I don’t think Holland can hold him down like Mohamed.
Swing hard was his best chance to win, he had Wonderboy on Queer Street in the first
Explain why he went for a glove touch against a Chechen beast darting towards him
Well at least if he tried a different outcome could have happened lol he got fucked up on the feet. He KO’d Jacare on the ground basically
You never know with Holland because he’s basically a big kid, and this might just be him being a goofball… but if it were anyone else, I’d say he disrespected his opponent, and thought he’d win despite fighting to the opponent’s strength, and it cost him.
If he said he’d rather strike, win or lose, he’s a goof. If he regrets it, and wished he had grappled when he had the chance, he was not respecting where Thompson lives, and his special skillset. There are levels, and he thought his athleticism would tip the scales. It looked like he could have been right very early, but he was very wrong. I gave him the first as it seemed he did more damage, but even in the first Thompson’s superior skill level was apparent, and it just got worse from there.
Again, anyone else and I’d say they’re definitely regretting it. Holland is such an oddball it wouldn’t surprise me if he thinks he’d rather stand and lose than grapple and win.
i agree with bisping here
use every advantage
the goal is to win
Holland is probably the most overrated prospect I’ve ever seen.
I was kind of pissed when he got fighter of the year over Khabib