Kevin Holland is more than down to face Khamzat Chimaev next week.
Holland earned the biggest win of his professional career following an emphatic first-round knockout of longtime middleweight contender Jacare Souza at UFC 256 last night.
In the process, it also took him to 5-0 in 2020 as Holland is undoubtedly a top candidate for fighter of the year. However, he’s looking to make it 6-0 as he called to face Chimaev next week in his post-fight interview.
"Imma bang (Chimaev) up!"
🗣 @Trailblaze2Top is ready for next week. #UFC256 pic.twitter.com/ipkjENWbm5
— UFC (@ufc) December 13, 2020
Holland: Chimaev Hasn’t Beaten Anybody
Chimaev was supposed to headline the UFC Vegas 17 headliner against Leon Edwards on December 19 only for the latter to pull out due to COVID-19.
The fight is now expected to take place next month but given Chimaev’s reputation of wanting to compete every week — whether it’s at welterweight or middleweight — many observers believe he would be more than willing to accept Holland’s challenge.
However, while Holland wants to fight Chimaev, he doesn’t particularly agree with that so-called reputation.
“Yeah, I’ll do it,” Holland said in a post-fight scrum with reporters when asked if he would actually fight on December 19. “He doesn’t have a reputation for fighting all the time — that’s just what the casuals think. He fought three times this year. Two times against bums and another time against Gerald Meerschaert. Meerschaert is not a bum but he was coming off a knockout.
“He hasn’t beat anybody in the UFC with a win but at the same time, he’s a good ticket for the UFC so let me stop talking about somebody that can help us make money, right?”
Holland would also post a challenge to Chimaev on social media.
“See ya next week?! #ufc #callbigmouth”
See ya next week?! #ufc #callbigmouth pic.twitter.com/mI9fUlOsEH
— Kevin Holland (@Trailblaze2top) December 13, 2020
It’s unlikely to happen in reality but it could definitely take place in the future as Holland is undoubtedly a serious threat in the middleweight division now.
