When Kevin Holland first appeared on Dana White’s Contender Series, the UFC CEO was far from impressed—so much so, he nearly passed on signing the outspoken fighter. But fate had other plans for the ‘Trailblazer.’ Now boasting 15 wins and 10 losses inside the Octagon, Holland has become one of the UFC’s most entertaining stars. His recent win over Vicente Luque only skyrocketed his stock—and with Donald Trump cage-side, some fans are calling the former president his lucky charm.
Ahead of UFC 316, the MMA community was skeptical about Holland’s performance against Vicente Luque, but the Riverside, California, native certainly proved his worth within the Octagon as his clinical performance took Luque to the pain zone. After landing heavy punches—even while hopping on one leg following a caught kick—Holland rocked Luque with a sharp elbow in the first round.
That elbow forced Luque to back off a little as he showed resilience, but it was not enough. The tide was completely in favor of Holland. Early in the second round, ‘Trailblazer’ caught Luque off guard as he locked in a tight D’Arce choke, forcing Luque to tap and sealing an impressive finish. The victory was a much-needed one for Holland, who seemed to be having a crisis in his career.
After choking out Luque, Holland jumped over the cage and celebrated his victory with Dana White and former President Donald Trump.
Kevin Holland jumps the fence to shake President Trump’s hand after choking out his opponent.
Respect. pic.twitter.com/l8SRaBfdgz
— TheStormHasArrived (@TheStormRedux) June 8, 2025
(More to follow…)
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