Kevin Holland was patient at UFC Vegas 6, weathering the storm of Joaquin Buckley and capping things off with a beautiful third-round knockout.
At some point, you’d have to imagine Kevin Holland would have fought a hotel doorman if it meant finally getting on the UFC Vegas 6 card this week.
Holland was supposed to fight a week ago, as part of UFC Vegas 5. Weigh-in cleared, suited up, ready to rumble. Then opponent Trevin Giles fainted immediately before the fight. Giles, a trooper, was willing to make the walk, but doctors were having none of that, and rightfully go.
Middleweight Holland was willing to take on Ed Herman, whose fight had also fallen through the night of. But Herman had already left the building. So Holland was looking for pretty much anyone.
What he wound up with was a fight with newcomer Joaquin Buckley a week later, at Saturday’s UFC Vegas 6.
The fighters collided in the center of the octagon with Buckley failing to land a suplex and scrambling to his feet. Buckley caught a kick then knocked Holland to his back with a right hand. Buckley was throwing everything behind his combinations, ripping to the body of the taller Holland. A knee landed below the belt of Holland and action paused for a moment. Buckley threw another all out combo that Holland waited out and landed an elbow over the top. Holland was trash talking Buckley to entice him to come in and it was working. On one of Buckley’s bursts, a punch caught Holland below the belt again. Holland began counting the rush of Buckley with spinning body kicks to get out of the way quickly. A beautiful right hand knocked Buckley down, but he quickly recovered with a takedown attempt. At the end of the round, Holland threw a flying knee, but turned it into a flying hammerfist while in the air, ending the round with another clean right hand.
Sneaky right cross by @Trailblaze2Top!
📺 #UFCVegas6 on ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/JvqT99SKK5
— UFC (@ufc) August 9, 2020
Buckley continued to swing for the fences in round two. He briefly threw Holland down just to mix it up, then got back to striking. Holland continued to stay patient as Buckley kept coming forward. A big leg kick connected for Buckley as Holland dodged another blitz. Holland landed a two-punch to front kick combo that knocked his opponent’s mouthpiece out. Buckley barraged Holland with body shots as he drove him to the fence, but the clinch did not last long. The dashes from Buckley decreased in frequency as Holland was starting to gain momentum.
Buckley refused to touch gloves in the final round and Holland got back to work with his long punches. A counter right straight sent Buckley’s mouthpiece flying and no follow-up was needed. A gorgeous knockout for Kevin Holland.
Make that a 3️⃣rd round walk-off for @Trailblaze2Top!#UFCVegas live NOW on E+ pic.twitter.com/sMgZuqiL9A
— UFC (@ufc) August 9, 2020
Kevin Holland def. Joaquin Buckley by TKO (Right Straight) in Round 3 (0:32)
