Kevin Holland doesn’t care.
Scheduled to fight March 21 at UFC on ESPN+ 29 in London, Holland’s fight was among the 13 canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Holland (16-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) found out the news four days prior.
“I woke up, and it was the day we were supposed to fly out,” Holland told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “I was about to go finish, get the bags packed up and everything. I looked on my phone, and my manager hit me up like, ‘Yo, everything is canceled. You’re not going to go anywhere.’ I was like, ‘Ugh, that sucks.’ I was still at the house in the process of getting ready to go. (It wasn’t) that bad.”
It took more than a week, but the UFC ultimately compensated the event’s athletes despite the card’s cancellation. Holland said he feels lucky to work for the company.
“If it wasn’t going to happen, I was going to take it for what it was,” Holland said. “It did happen, so I’m really grateful. (The UFC) is a great company to work for. It makes it even better when they’re doing stuff like that in a time of need. They’re looking out for their athletes. That’s a blessing.”
As frustrating as his UFC on ESPN+ 29 cancellation was, Holland hasn’t allowed himself to lose focus. Still in fight shape, Holland said he isn’t going to let the coronavirus pandemic get in the way of him competing if possible.
“(We) try to stay ready so we don’t have to get ready. You know what I mean?” Holland said. “Every opportunity we can, we sneak in somewhere. We do a little something, stick with the same partners, don’t switch up partners, (and) try to stay as close to smart about this thing as possible. At the end of the day, you’re still taking risks. At the end of the day, I just want to fight. The risk is worth the reward to me.”
If the opportunity is there, Holland says he’s willing to “risk” it by fighting April 18 at UFC 249. The event doesn’t have a location at the moment – at least not one that is known to the public.
“That’s a picture-perfect fight right there – something private,” Holland said. “That’s fight club right? You don’t really talk about it. If something was to pop up or something was to happen where I got the fight, I’m more than happy (to accept). That’s essential to me. I’ve got to fight.
“I’m stuck in the house not doing nothing, shadowboxing. My dog is looking at me like I’m crazy. He’s like, ‘What are you doing, dude? You’re tripping.’ But I look at him the same way when he licks his butt, so it’s OK.”
While Holland doesn’t have a specific individual in mind he’d like to fight April 18, an entire camp was on the tip of his tongue. Holland and Roufusport have history.
“Anybody local can get the smoke,” Holland said. “I’m down for anybody, anywhere. It doesn’t really matter for me. It’d be nice to get somebody from Roufus’ camp again. We’re 1-1. I got Gerald Meerschaert. (Brendan Allen) got me. … Another striker, a grappler, the last guy on the roster, the top guy on the roster – maybe I drop down to 170 and beat up (Tyron) Woodley. He acts like he really wants to fight. He’s with the Roufus camp. I don’t know. Whoever wants it. Whoever wants the smoke.”
Check out MMA Junkie’s full interview with Holland in the video above.
