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Coming into UFC 327 on April 11, Kevin Holland isn’t riding momentum. He’s on a two-fight skid, trying to reset against Randy Brown in the highly stacked welterweight division that doesn’t wait for anyone. Yet despite the inconsistent results, Holland remains one of the most-watched fighters on the roster due to his constant trash-talking and viral moments during his fights.

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That personality doesn’t just show up in the Octagon. It’s also written across his body. Unlike some fighters who keep their ink minimal or purely aesthetic, Holland’s tattoos feel like entries in a timeline, each one tied to a moment, or a piece of his journey. So if you look closely, what story is the ink actually telling?

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What is the meaning of Kevin Holland’s chest tattoo? 

On his right pec, the number ’92’ sits proudly next to an italicized ‘M’, a nod to his birth year, 1992. Just beneath it, a large Scorpio tattoo blazes across his chest, symbolizing his zodiac sign. Born on November 5, Holland embodies Scorpio traits perfectly: intense, loyal, and unflinchingly driven.

On his left pec, a different message unfolds. The word “Trailblazer,” his fight moniker, sits above “EST. 2008”, a reminder of when his combat journey truly began. The placement feels intentional, resting close to his heart, almost like a promise to never lose sight of where he started. But that’s only part of the picture. Because Kevin Holland’s tattoo stories don’t stop at the chest.

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Are there any Other tattoos on Kevin Holland’s body

Let’s start with one of his most striking pieces, the crowned gorilla on his right shoulder, bearing the name ‘Holland.’ It’s not just art; it’s armor. According to the fighter, the tattoo, which is the most powerful of them all, signifies dignity, compassion, strength, loyalty, and accountability.

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For the left shoulder, he has a tattoo that looks eerily like Sean O’Malley with the fighter’s initials KP inscribed on the bottom right side. However, many have claimed that it is actually a tattoo of musician Jimi Hendrix. He also has the Roman numerals ‘MMXIII’ tattooed on the right side of his upper torso.

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First, right below the right shoulder, on his bicep, he has a 9mm bullet tattoo.

“Right after the fight, I went and got this bullet right here,” Holland had shared in a 2021 post-fight interview. “It’s like the same bullet you see when you’re playing Mario and stuff like that, but it’s a 9mm shell. My favorite gun to shoot is a 9mm. [I] shot a 9mm a few times. Don’t do forensics.”

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Holland had revealed that he got the tattoo to represent the power of his right arm and that the arm served as a sniper for him.

“I got that on my right arm because my right arm has been like a sniper all year long,” he said. “It’s been a bomb, it’s been a bullet. It’s been everything that a lethal weapon needs to be. Been killing folks left and right. You look at most of my finishes, it came from my right hand. I never realized how right-handed I was until I noticed that. The bullet just signified what I’m going to do to these guys. If you know the game, you know that these right here go boom.”

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Also, on his right arm is an intriguing design that is believed to symbolize RC Cola. Its design includes a crossbones tattoo with a dollar bag etched within it under an RC emblem. It is concluded with “Hustle 2 Ball,” written under it.

Kevin Holland described another piece he got tattooed on his shin at that time and revealed:

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“And then I got my last name on my shin cause like I tell my coach all the time, I didn’t graduate from high school, so I can’t remember my name sometimes.”

On Kevin Holland’s right forearm, a number 24 tattoo can be seen. It refers to November 24, 2018, when he fought John Phillips. The breathtaking contest saw him almost reverse a rear-naked choke in the third round. On his left hand, near the bicep region, ‘Big Mouth’ has a tattoo that is an ode to his passion for ‘Jiu Jitsu.’

Holland holds a black belt in both Kung-Fu and high-level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Interestingly, former UFC staple Travis Lutter bestowed the black belt on him. Just below this tattoo is a campfire tattoo, with a smiling Halloween pumpkin burning in it.

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From the bullet that marks his precision to the gorilla that crowns his pride, Kevin Holland’s tattoos map a journey that started in hardship and found glory inside the Octagon. 

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Mohammed Shafiulla

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Mohammed Shafiulla is a Boxing writer at EssentiallySports. With a Master’s degree in Journalism from a reputed institute, Shafi has cemented his position as one of the astute observers of boxing at ES. Marching towards the 1000-article milestone at ES, he has witnessed and written at length about the rise of influencer boxing. He was also one of the very first to break the news of Jake Paul’s association with USA Boxing . An early supporter of Naoya Inoue, Shafi has covered his transition from being a Japanese boxer with a niche fan following to a power-punching global boxing star. Shafi has been extensively covering Terence Crawford, Artur Beterbiev, and Gervonta Davis, who are also some of his favorite boxers. Beyond the ring, Shafi unwinds by indulging in Netflix binges as well as critiquing boxing movies.

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