Newark – #15 ranked UFC welterweight Kevin Holland says he was the original opponent for the returning Nick Diaz, but at UFC 302 he’s taking on middleweight Michal Oleksiejczuk on Saturday.
“I was supposed to be taking a fight at 170 against a pre-named opponent, but they say he wasn’t going to be able to fight until August,” Holland told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.
“Like damn that’s a long time, and I guess that fight’s not going to circle back because I see he just got booked.”
Holland (25-11) revealed that he was supposed to take on a legendary name in MMA.
“It was (Nick) Diaz,” he said.
“I knew he was coming back to fight. I just thought I was going to smoke him. Then I was going to smoke (Vicente) Luque too. Those two are fighting each other so they can smoke each other. Two big ass joints”
The welterweight division has shown some promising prospects including the rise of Joaquin Buckley. Buckley made headlines following his victory at UFC St.Louis posting on X that he could beat MMA legend Georges St.Pierre.
“Yeah the dude’s on coco if he thinks he can beat GSP. The dude can’t beat me, how the f*ck he’s going to beat GSP,” said Holland.
“I mean that’s pretty crazy. That being said I think Buckley’s doing really good at welterweight, probably should stay at welterweight, but if he ever wants to put himself back in a casket he could always come see me.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Kevin Holland above. He takes on Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC 302 on Saturday night.
