Kevin Holland entered UFC 318 off wins over Gunnar Nelson and Vicente Luque, and was looking to make it three in a row in a welterweight fight with Daniel Rodriguez.
Rodriguez had also captured two straight wins, against Santiago Ponzinibbio and Alex Morono.
Holland and Rodriguez got right to work on Saturday, with Holland eventually moving in for a takedown that D-Rod was able to fight off. Holland was still able to work in his jab and a left hook, followed by a right a bit later. About halfway through the opening round, and Holland seemed to be flowing, with Rodriguez looking for openings as he tried to counter.
Rodriguez would land a big shot, his best of the round, late in the frame, with Holland eating it and answering back.
Round two opened with Rodriguez firing a kick and then crashing inside. Holland chopped at “D-Rod” with a side kick, then was badly rocked with a left hand! Holland looked out, and it’s a small miracle the fight didn’t end there. Yet he recovered, and while Daniel Rodriguez briefly got on top, he thought better of it and forced Holland back to his feet. Holland shot wild for a takedown, didn’t have it, and was then rocked again! Rodriguez again got on top as Holland went to his back, giving Holland a chance to recover — though he looked well out of it.
Holland vainly tried for an arm-bar, but instead wound up back on his feet, where he didn’t want to be. Yet this time Holland was able to duck and slip a few punches, then landed a huge takedown. When they got back up, Rodriguez threatened with a guillotine, but was far from securing it. After a stunning turn of events and a near finish early in the round, they headed to the third.
In the third, the big question was how much had Kevin Holland recovered. And secondary to that, had Rodriguez drained too much of the tank? That question was answered less than two minutes in, when Holland dropped Rodriguez! “D-Rod” went down, Holland got on top, and opened up! They got back up, Holland looking for his patented D’arce choke, and when he didn’t have it, he tagged Rodriguez again! Rodriguez covered up, and Holland tagged him again, but the fence kept him on his feet! Holland landed a jump knee that was blocked, and Rodriguez secured a desperation takedown. Just another wild turn of events, with Rodriguez fending off a submission attempt and getting on top.
As rocked as he was, Rodriguez managed to get in mount with a minute left in the fight, a bout that was now a leading candidate for Fight of the Night. Yet Holland escaped, only to get caught in a Rodriguez guillotine. He didn’t have it, but that put Rodriguez back on top in mount. He finished the fight landing lefts and rights, in an absolute thriller. D-Rod took it on the scorecards, but cliché as it is, there were no losers in that fight.
Official Result: Daniel Rodriguez def. Kevin Holland by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
