EXCLUSIVE | Unfazed and Unbothered – Kevin Holland Aims to Shut Down the Hype on Michael ‘Venom’ Page at UFC 299 – News18

Unfazed by the hype around his opponent who is making his debut, UFC star, Kevin Holland remains focused on getting his pay cheque as he is set to take on UK’s Michael ‘Venom’ Page as the two are set to meet in the octagon for UFC 299 at Kaseya Centre in Miami, Florida.

The 31-year-old is coming off a loss against Jack Della Naddalena via split decision, something he clearly disagrees with and will look to make a statement in his upcoming fixture. Holland has come a long way since making his appearance in Dana White’s Contender series. With 36 fights under his belt and 25 wins, 14 have come via knockout and 7 submission victories. The battle will likely be a stand-up affair with both men having garnered reputations for their respective striking abilities. But Holland has also shown that he has the take-down defensive abilities which could see him winning on the ground.

Speaking in an exclusive interaction with News18 Sports, Holland is unbothered and has his eyes on the prize as the welterweight bout is set to showcase the battle between two well-renowned strikers.

What is the pathway you see for yourself to secure the title?

I don’t really worry about titles. I just worry about getting cheques every fight. So I’m always worried about getting a cheque.

The spotlight seems to be on your opponent, do you see this as an extra source of motivation to shut down all the hype on Michael Venom Page?

Yeah, it’s always a good feeling to get out there and put your hands on somebody that they are talking highly about.

How important is it for you to bounce back from the loss in the previous fight?

I didn’t lose my previous fight. So yeah, sounds good but the judges were on dope that night.

Both you and your opponent are well renowned for their striking skills? What do you think is your biggest advantage going into the fight?

Basically, hitting him in the mouth as hard as I can.

There is even a sense of him looking past you because he is supposedly eyeing the title fight with Leon. Your thoughts on this?

Nah, they’re both from the UK so even if he gets knocked out here he can still go there and fight. It has nothing to do with me. As for me I just want to beat my opponent, eat my steak and go shopping.

Do you think your opponents in UFC have been of a different level in comparison to MVP’s?

Yeah, most definitely, I have faced a deeper competition but we will see if that pays off come Saturday night.

Your opponent is said to have an unorthodox method of fighting, was there any form of training that you did specifically for this fight?

Not really, it’s the same old same, doesn’t matter if he dances in the cage or does a backflip. At the end of the day, I still have to aim for him in the mouth, it’s the only thing that matters when he’s right there in front of me and when he’s moving I’ll let him dance for however long he decides he wants to dance for. I’m no dancer.

What are your predictions for the fight? How do you see it going?

Be pretty, put pressure and be dominant. P.P.D baby, P.P.D.

The clash between two brilliant strikers will be an eventful encounter with both fighters eyeing the early finish. Watch UFC Fight Night 299 – O’Malley vs. Vera 2 on 10th March 2024 from 8:30 AM IST onwards LIVE On Sony Sports Ten 2 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 SD & HD (Tamil & Telugu).