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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)
Kevin Holland has been one of the most prominent stars of the UFC in 2020. Holland managed to get five wins in 2020, with all wins coming in the last seven months. His recent knockout win over ‘Jacare’ Souza was the most impressive of the bunch and has been nominated for knockout of the year.
Recently, Daniel Cormier told Ariel Helwani that he believes Kevin Holland is the breakout fighter of 2020. He has surpassed Khamzat Chimaev as the biggest find of the year. Though DC is a self-proclaimed driver of the Chimaev bandwagon, he says Holland outdid the Russian fighter.
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Self-proclaimed driver of the Khamzat Chimaev bandwagon, @dc_mma, says Kevin Holland is the breakout fighter of 2020 and "it's not even close" 👀 pic.twitter.com/R5wAgAWxjN
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 21, 2020
“Breakout fighter of the year, Kevin Holland. For sure. 5 victories in 7 months? Get that man in the game. Get Kevin Holland in the game,” stated Cormier.
Chimaev also had a meteoric rise in 2020. DC didn’t forget to give ‘Borz’ his deserved honorary mention. “And Khamzat Chimaev deserves an honorary mention.
“Khamzat deserves an honorary mention, but I’ll go with Kevin Holland. And you know what actually put me over Kevin Holland? Because right after the fight, he was like, Khamzat, what’s up?” DC added.
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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JULY 26: (L-R) Khamzat Chimaev of Czechia punches Rhys McKee of Northern Ireland in their welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on July 26, 2020 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
“Nobody wants to fight Khamzat Chimaev. Kevin Holland is like, Yo. You want to fight next week? I am here,” he added, referring to Holland’s offer to fight Chimaev a win after beating Souza.
“I’m still driving the Khamzat bandwagon. But 5 victories in 7 months! Kevin Holland is the breakout fighter. It’s not even close,” the former two-division UFC champion concluded on the topic.
Kevin Holland and Khamzat Chimaev both had a magnificent run in 2020
Kevin Holland managed a 5-0 record in 2020. Chimaev also won three of his fights this year. He was set to main-event the last card of the year against Leon Edwards, but that bout fell apart due to the latter’s positive COVID test.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 19: (L-R) Kevin Holland punches Darren Stewart of England in their middleweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on September 19, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
But with Chimaev and Holland both fighting at around the same weight classes, a possible match between them in the future looks certain. Fans may not have to wait too long before that materializes.
What do you make of Daniel Cormier’s pick for the breakout fighter of the year?
