Although Kevin Holland was forced out of his main event fight against Jack Hermansson at UFC Vegas 16 next weekend, he already has his next assignment set.
During Saturday’s UFC Vegas 15 broadcast, promotion officials announced that Holland has been booked against Jacare Souza at UFC 256 on December 12. The match-up makes all the sense in the world, as Souza’s original opponent on the card, Marvin Vettori, is the man filling in for Holland against Hermansson next.
MW contenders set to collide at #UFC256
🇺🇸 @Trailblaze2top vs 🇧🇷 @JacareMMA🐊 pic.twitter.com/wEQqjlIYiY
— UFC (@ufc) November 29, 2020
In short, it’s a trade.
Holland was forced out of his main event middleweight scrap with “The Joker” due to a positive COVID-19 test. That news was first reported by ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, and later confirmed by the UFC during Saturday’s broadcast.
Souza (26-8, 1NC) is just 2-4 in his last six fights, and has lost two straight. His most recent fight came in November 2019, when he made an ill-fated move to 205lbs, only to be finished by Jan Blachowicz. Of course, with Blachowicz now holding light heavyweight gold, that loss doesn’t look as bad in hindsight. Still, the Brazilian is in need of a win as he returns to his usual home at middleweight.
Holland (20-5) will enter the fight on a four-fight win streak. All four of those wins have come in 2020, and he’ll be looking to make it five for five this calendar year.
UFC 256 is headlined by Amanda Nunes vs. Megan Anderson Petr Yan vs. Aljamain Sterling Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno.
