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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 12: Kevin Holland celebrates his KO victory over Jacare Souza of Brazil in their middleweight bout during the UFC 256 event at UFC APEX on December 12, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 12: Kevin Holland celebrates his KO victory over Jacare Souza of Brazil in their middleweight bout during the UFC 256 event at UFC APEX on December 12, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Israel Adesanya may have lost his shot at becoming Light Heavyweight champion, but he still has an entire Middleweight division to clear out. While he has beaten three of the top-five contenders in Robert Whittaker, Paulo Costa, and Marvin Vettori, there are quite a few he is yet to beat.
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Atop that list is Darren Till. Izzy knows that as well and recently called out Till to be his next opponent, if Till makes it past Vettori in April. However, another rising Middleweight is fighting in March in Kevin Holland. Holland had an electric 2020 and hopes to rise to title contention this year. So being glossed over for Till did not sit well with him.
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Holland is going to face Derek Brunson this weekend in a bid to make his way into the top five of the division. Brunson is one of the trickier veterans in the division, so Holland will be tested in that fight. If he wins that, it will be hard for him to say he has a claim to the title. But does Till have a better claim to it than Holland?
Israel Adesanya: Who will be his next challenger?
Israel Adesanya is spoiled for choice. While the true title contender fight should be Robert Whittaker vs Paulo Costa, it seems Izzy will not want to match him up with people he has beaten. The new contenders atop the division are only Till and Jared Cannonier. However, Cannonier lost his last fight to Whittaker and is out of the title picture.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JULY 05: UFC interim middleweight champion Israel Adesanya of New Zealand poses for the media during the. UFC seasonal press conference at T-Mobile Arena on July 5, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
If Holland beats Brunson, he does have a claim for a top-ranked fight. Till hasn’t had an especially great MW resume, having already lost once to Whittaker. However, it is a fresh fight against one of the bigger names in the division. Till is currently 1-3 in his last four, and 1-1 in his two fights at Middleweight.
Holland is a fantastic opponent for Izzy, and his request to have a contender’s fight with Till is not unreasonable. However, a true contender’s fight may come against the loser of Costa vs Whittaker, as Holland will already be waiting for that long to see what happens with Till.
