Fan favorite Kevin Holland returned to the Octagon in the co-main event of Noche UFC for a clash with streaking middleweight contender Jack Della Maddalena.
Holland enters the bout with a solid 12-6 record under the UFC banner and riding the momentum of back-to-back wins, scoring first-round finishes against Santiago Ponzinibbio and Michael Chiesa. ‘Trailblazer’ will attempt to cash in on that momentum by handing the Australian standout his first loss inside the Octagon.
Jack Della Maddalena has not lost a fight since 2016 and currently holds an undefeated record of 5-0 in the UFC with wins over Pete Rodrigues, Ramazan Emeev, Danny Roberts, Randy Brown, and Bassil Hafez.
Round 1
Kevin Holland comes out leading with a jack. JDM fires back with a 1-2 followed by a leg kick that lands. Holland responds with a leg kick of his own. Jab from Holland lands. Holland throws a sidekick as attempts to close the distance. JDM moves in with a combination, but Holland avoids the dangers. JDM continues to put pressure on Holland while ‘Trailblazer’ is content to counterstrike. JDM moves in and rips to Holland’s body against the fence.
Holland begins working the kicks, targeting the body and the legs of JDM. Della Maddalena again targets the body of his opponent and Holland responds with a solid right hand that connects. Holland winds up for an uppercut that JDM sees coming from a mile away. With 10 seconds left, both fighters briefly stand in the pocket and trade with JDM getting the better of the exchange as the round comes to a close.
Round 2
JDM picks up right where he left off, pressuring Holland and targeting the body against the fence. Holland continues to use his kicks to keep his distance. The fighters exchange body kicks and Holland flashes his signature smile but eats a solid left from Della Maddalena. JDM throws a body kick and follows it up with a right hand that partially connects. A sidekick from Holland pushes JDM back.
Kevin Holland feints the jab and goes upstairs with the head kick, but it’s blocked by JDM. A calf kick from Della Maddalena lands. Both fighters begin talking to one another as JDM lands a nice combination. Holland attempts to respond with a three-punch combo before attempting the first takedown of the fight. JDM fends it off but eats a straight right in the process. A body shot from JDM lands. A sneaky right hand from Della Maddalena lands, but Holland is able to respond with a left. Holland catches a body kick attempt from JDM and nearly dumps the Aussie on the canvas as round two ends.
Round 3
Kevin Holland comes out looking to strike from a distance, but JDM quickly closes the distance and lands a big right hand. A spinning wheel kick from Holland misses the mark. JDM attempts to attack the body and Holland responds with a right hand upstairs. A left from JDM hits the mark, but Holland lands a sneaky elbow strike in response. Both fighters briefly stand in the pocket and trade before Holland looks to create some distance.
A body shot from JDM lands. Holland feints a takedown and throws a right hook that misses. Fans in the crowd are beginning to get restless as the fighters continue to put on a solid striking display. A body kick from JDM lands. He follows that up with a clean left hook that forces Holland to step backward.
Della Maddalena picks up the pace in the waning moments of the round, landing a flurry of strikes against the fence just as the final horn sounds.
Official Result: Jack Della Maddalena def. Kevin Holland via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Check Out Highlights From Kevin Holland vs. Jack Della Maddalena at Noche UFC Below:
Kevin Holland 🔥 #NocheUFC @ufc pic.twitter.com/OHFbBNyU2m
— Officer Skanks (@SkankeySBG) September 17, 2023
Jack Della Maddalena kicking Kevin Holland's ass pic.twitter.com/6opy23fiiM
— cool thot (@JabZudah) September 17, 2023
Takes a close one by split decision!
Jack Della Maddalena gets the nod over Kevin Holland in our #NocheUFC co-main 👏 pic.twitter.com/l5npqFaOHA
— UFC (@ufc) September 17, 2023
