Kevin Holland wanted a quick turnaround, and he’s going to get it. After scoring a 39-second TKO victory over Anthony Hernandez on Saturday at UFC Fight Night in Jacksonville, Holland called out Mickey Gall for the May 30 show. Holland said he could easily make the 170-pound welterweight limit despite earning his lightning-fast win over Hernandez at middleweight. We’ve seen some quick turnarounds, but this is almost unheard of because Holland is competing in a different weight class.
UFC President Dana White is giving Holland his wish–in a way. Holland will indeed be competing on the May 30 card, which appears to be headed for the UFC Apex in Nevada. However, Holland will not be facing Gall. Instead, Holland draws 33-year-old Daniel Rodriguez.
Like Holland, Rodriguez is a relative newcomer who cut his teeth with the UFC as a part of the Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series. Rodriguez didn’t earn the immediate call-up. However, in his debut with the promotion, Rodriguez made a significant statement. He scored a dominant second-round submission win over the rugged Tim Means back in February.
Holland is still just 27 and many believe his best days might be ahead of him, though he’s had some head-scratching performances. Needless to say, he was at his best the last time out, and he’ll need to be just as good–if not better to beat Rodriguez.
The Rest of the May 30 Card
There are still some details to be worked out in regards to the event’s location. However, White did seem confident the promotion would be able to solidify the UFC Apex. If the UFC is successful in working with the Nevada State Athletic Commission, their show would be the first major sports event in Las Vegas since the COVID-19 pandemic forced a shutdown. If something falls through at the last minute, it is believed the UFC would turn to a site in Arizona for its Plan B.
The card will be headlined by former UFC Welterweight Champion Tyron Woodley. The No-1-ranked 38-year-old hasn’t fought since he lost his title to Kamaru Usman in 2019. He returns to the Octagon to face No-6-ranked Gilbert Burns. This fight represents Burns’ first main event with the UFC. He has won five fights in a row, including an impressive KO win over Demian Maia in his last fight. A victory over Woodley would Land Burns in the Top 5 of the 170-pound division, and likely one victory away from attaining a title shot.
Here is a look at the rest of the card:
- Gilbert Burns vs. Tyron Woodley – Welterweight
- Augusto Sakai vs. Blagoy Ivanov – Heavyweight
- Kevin Holland vs. Daniel Rodriguez – Welterweight
- Roosevelt Roberts vs. Brok Weaver – Lightweight
- Mackenzie Dern vs. Hannah Cifers – Women’s Strawweight
- Katlyn Chookagian vs. Antonina Shevchenko – Women’s Flyweight
- Billy Quarantillo vs. Spike Carlyle – Featherweight
- Klidson Abreu vs. Jamahal Hill — Light Heavyweight
- Tim Elliott vs. Brandon Rovyal — Men’s Flyweight
- Casey Kenney vs. Louis Smolka – Men’s Bantamweight
- Chris Gutiérrez vs. Vince Morales – Men’s Bantamweight
Be on the lookout for every KO/submission finish after the show next week, and the most memorable images from the event.
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UFC Fighter To Fight Second Bout in 2 Weeks, in Different Weight Classes