UFC 316 is already stacked with two incredible bantamweight bouts headlining the main and co-main events. But the undercard isn’t far behind! It’s built to deliver for the fans heading to the Prudential Center for a night of classic action. And what better way to fire things up than a fan-favorite welterweight clash between Vicente Luque and Kevin Holland—an all-action matchup that’s gunning for the Fight of the Night bonus.
Vicente Luque and Kevin Holland are two of the most seasoned and entertaining fighters in the UFC. Luque, a battle-hardened Brazilian, has delivered countless wars, while Holland is known for his fearless style. This welterweight clash at UFC 316 has all the makings of a show-stealer, with both fighters always ready to throw down. Before these two warriors meet inside the Octagon this weekend, let’s take a look at how they stack up in the stats.
UFC 316: Vicente Luque vs. Kevin Holland stats and walkaround weight
The 33-year-old Vicente Luque comes in at 5’11” with a solid 76-inch reach—right around the norm for a welterweight. But standing across from him is Kevin Holland, who’s got the size advantage. At 6’3″ with an 81-inch reach, Holland brings in a frame that could be tough to deal with if he uses it smartly. Both fighters will need to make 171 pounds since it’s not a title fight.
‘The Silent Assassin’ has been hitting the welterweight limit pretty consistently throughout his UFC run. There haven’t been many issues. But he did weigh in at 172.2 pounds back at UFC 268 when he served as the backup for Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington. That suggests Luque’s walk-around weight likely floats somewhere between 180 to 190 pounds.
As for Holland, he’s bounced between 170 and 185 like it’s no big deal. It honestly depends on his mood. Surprisingly, he manages to make weight in both divisions more often than not. However, he did miss weight badly once, coming in at 179.5 pounds against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 279. With that lanky 6’3″ frame, he could easily be walking around at 200 pounds or even more when he’s not in fight camp.
Now, diving into the stats—Vicente Luque lands 5.05 significant strikes per minute with a sharp 51% accuracy. But he also absorbs 5.22 strikes, which tells you he’s all about that stand-and-bang style. His striking defense sits at 52%, which isn’t too tight but fits his aggressive approach. Kevin Holland, meanwhile, lands 4.19 strikes per minute, not as high as his opponent’s, but still solid, with 50% accuracy. He absorbs just 3.10 strikes and has a 50% defense rate. So, while Luque throws more, Holland fights with a bit more control.
On the ground, Vicente Luque holds the edge without question. He averages 0.99 takedowns per fight with a solid 53% accuracy, defends 62% of takedown attempts, and averages 0.8 submissions per bout. The Californian native, Kevin Holland, comes in lower with 0.77 takedowns per fight at just 37% accuracy. His takedown defense stands at 54%, and he averages 0.6 submissions. So, it’s safe to say Luque has the upper hand when it hits the mat. Now that the stats are out of the way, let’s talk about how this might play out on fight night.
Luque vs. Holland breakdown and prediction
This Holland vs. Luque matchup? Yeah, it’s gonna be a banger. Both guys are wild in the cage, and the way their styles clash, it just feels like something big could happen. Odds-wise, Holland’s sitting around -220, and Luque’s the +180 underdog. The gap is wide, but the actual fight is closer than what the odds have been saying.
‘The Silent Assassin’ definitely had a rough patch, but he showed in his last fight against Themba Gorimbo that he’s still got it. Only the best at 170 have been able to figure him out. His BJJ is straight-up nasty — he can lock up a choke from just about anywhere. That said, Holland’s no slouch either. He’s also pretty slick on his feet, can strike from range, and has the kind of chaos in his game that can flip a fight in a second.
It’s true that ‘Trailblazer’ has had some trouble with strong grapplers and guys who know their way around the ground. But with that long frame and real knockout power, he’s not exactly easy to deal with either — even for someone like Luque. And let’s not forget, in Holland’s last fight against Gunnar Nelson, he showed he can hang in there with a solid wrestler and still get the job done.
So, the smart move for Kevin Holland would be to use his takedown defense and scrambling to stay out of Luque’s submission traps. And if he can do that, there’s a real shot he catches him and gets the KO in the second or maybe later in the third. Then again, this could just as easily turn into a wild three-round war. Either way, it’s one to watch. So, who are you picking?
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