Salt Lake City – UFC middleweight Kevin Holland has a big fight against Roman Dolidze at UFC 307 on Saturday night, but he’s got one other name on his mind during fight week.
“I figured if I beat the f*ck out of (Joaquin) Buckley before the fight happens you guys lose a fight, and I get in trouble,” Holland told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday as to why he’s not staying at the fighter hotel.
“You want the truth I give you the truth.”
Holland (26-11) has had plenty of back-and-forth interactions with Buckley. Enough to make him avoid getting in trouble during UFC 307 fight week. “Beef” isn’t exactly what it is with Buckley as Holland educated a reporter in the room.
“It’s not beef. That mother f*cker’s chicken,” Holland said.
“He’s chicken. Beef, chicken, two different meats.”
‘Trailblazer’ fights at 185 pounds for the second straight fight coming off a submission victory over Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC 302. With momentum building up at middleweight would Holland ever go back to 170?
“So I was talking to the corner one day right? I was like look if I ever get to like a real title shot, and Belal (Muhammad)’s still the champ, I’m instantly going down to 170,” he told Cageside Press.
“(Dricus) Du Plessis’s a way better champ than Belal is, but that’s not going to happen, so therefore whatever they want me to fight I’ll fight.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Kevin Holland above. He takes on Roman Dolidze at UFC 307 on Saturday night.
