Trevin Giles plans on knocking Kevin Holland out of his comfort zone at UFC on ESPN+ 31

Trevin Giles knows he has to tame Kevin Holland’s theatrics.

Giles (12-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) faces Holland on Saturday at UFC on ESPN+ 31, which takes place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streams on ESPN+.

Giles is well aware of what “Big Mouth” Holland (17-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC), who often talks to his opponents during his fights, brings to the table and isn’t planning on getting caught up in his antics.

“I expect him to be in there trying to have fun,” Giles told reporters, including MMA Junkie, during Thursday’s UFC on ESPN+ 31 virtual media day. “When he gets in there he seems like he’s enjoying himself and he’s getting his momentum going and stuff, and I feel like he gets to talking and it makes him a little more comfortable. It gives him some sort of momentum, but that’s what I expect. That’s Holland, that’s how he fights, that’s what he does.

“So I expect him to do that, and I expect him to move around and be athletic. He has a very carefree fight style so I expect him to be like that, and I expect him to use his length and for him to be relaxed and trying to have fun and it’s gonna be my job to not let him do that.”

It’s the second time Giles, who was originally scheduled to face Jun Yong Park, has had a last-second opponent change. In his past outing at UFC 247 in February, he edged out James Krause, who stepped in on just 24-hours notice.

Now he will look to secure back-to-back wins for the second time in his UFC career with victory against Holland in Las Vegas on Saturday night.