Kevin Holland has been struggling to rack up victories lately, and he’s not exactly winning over his fellow fighters or MMA legends either. The 32-year-old UFC veteran is coming off back-to-back losses, with his latest setback being a dominant first-round submission defeat against Reinier de Ridder at UFC 311. Just two days before his defeat to the Dutchman, Holland appeared on the JAXXON podcast alongside hosts Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Bear Degidio.
The episode quickly gained attention as several clips highlighted the tense exchanges between Holland and Jackson. Former UFC champion Luke Rockhold also took notice of the interaction and in an interview shared his honest opinion on it. Let us take a look at what he had to say about it!
Luke Rockhold has a critical piece of advice for Kevin Holland
Holland’s appearance on the JAXXON podcast didn’t get off to a smooth start, as Rampage described him as bringing in “bad energy” right from the beginning. He shrugged off a friendly “bro hug” from the MMA legend and appeared to provoke him with subtle challenges, hinting at a physical confrontation. To make matters worse, Holland threw in some awkward and out-of-place references to firearms, adding an uncomfortable edge to the already tense atmosphere.
During the initial part of the interview, Holland repeatedly provoked Rampage, challenging the former champion to a fight. He even steered the conversation toward the caliber of the firearms Jackson uses, which caught the former 205lbs champion by surprise. The tension only grew when Holland took things a step further, bluntly telling the 46-year-old to “shut the f–k up,” creating an even more uncomfortable dynamic between the two.
Luke Rockhold recently sat down for a chat with Submission Radio, where he shared his honest opinion on the situation. While speaking to the host, he clarified Holland’s comments and said, “Yeah, .45-70 so it’s a government round. There’s a big boy rounds. I don’t understand where the country calibration came from so that was different.” He then shared some words of advice for ‘Trailblazer’ and further added, “If you are gonna fight you should be thinking about fighting not calibers. You can’t bring a gun to a sword fight.”
Sometimes, these altercations arise from genuine animosity, built up over months of trash talk. Other times, it’s simply a clash of egos that lights the fuse. In this case, however, Jackson and Holland have never faced each other in the cage, and the possibility of a fight between them is off the table. So, what led to such an intense war of words between the two? Let’s break it down below.
A closer look at the rivalry between Kevin Holland and Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson
The feud between Kevin Holland and Quinton Jackson seems to have deeper roots than their tense podcast encounter. It reportedly traces back to Holland’s UFC 299 showdown with Michael “Venom” Page. During the face-off, Holland and MVP locked hands in a playful but unexpected gesture, which Rampage found amusing. However, this seemingly lighthearted moment appears to have sparked an undercurrent of tension that carried over into their later interactions.
Rampage, known for his outspoken humor, took to social media after the face-off and made a controversial remark, comparing Holland and Page’s hand-linking gesture to “two women sciss—ng.” The comment didn’t sit well with Holland, who clearly held onto it. By the time the two met on the podcast, Holland came in with unresolved frustrations, setting the stage for the fiery exchange that followed.
“Last thing you want to do is fight me, though,” Rampage warned as the confrontation began to escalate. “I still want to, though. I don’t give a f–k,” Holland replied with a defiant smile. “No, you don’t want to fight me,” Rampage responded firmly. He went on to add, “I’m being real with you, young buck. You don’t want to fight me. I’m just being real with you—sometimes people don’t know what they want.”
Despite the palpable tension, the heated exchange fortunately didn’t boil over into a physical altercation. The two managed to wrap up the podcast without further incidents, leaving viewers on edge throughout the episode. What’s your take on the clash between Holland and Rampage? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
The post “You Should Be Thinking About Fighting Not Calibres” – Kevin Holland Made to Regret 45–70 Drama After UFC 311 Debacle appeared first on EssentiallySports.