LAS VEGAS – Kevin Holland’s bout on Saturday night sure had a memorable ending, but perhaps not for him.
The UFC middleweight received a no-contest ruling in his co-main event bout Kyle Daukaus at UFC Fight Night 193.
The decision came about after Holland (21-7 MMA, 8-4 UFC) and Daukaus clashed heads accidentally in the first round of their contest. The incident led to Holland getting badly rocked, falling face-first to the canvas, and then submitted by Daukaus moments later.
It was an unfortunate incident to a fight that was just starting to unfold. Holland says he has very little recollection of the incident.
“I don’t remember anything,” Holland told reporters at the UFC Fight Night 193 post-fight press conference. “I felt myself hit the ground and all the sudden I felt him on my back. So whatever happened in between that, that’s just goodwill and God-given.”
Holland feels the next move is to re-book the fight given the circumstances of the bout. Holland hopes to get the rematch, as he feels there’s unfinished business with Daukaus.
“I want to run it back, I want to run it back right now,” Holland said. “I want to run it back with anyone that’s gotten the better of me, so yeah, I want to run it back.
“Sh*t, if Johnny Walker would’ve gotten hurt tonight, I would’ve gone to 205 and run it back with Thiago (Santos). I’m that guy. If he wants to go somewhere else, that’s because he felt the head-butt was the best thing that could’ve happened to him. I got respect for Kyle, Chris and the Daukaus family, but the fight game is the fight game and I don’t feel like it’s over.”
Watch the full post-fight interview with Holland in the video above.
