Holland: 'I'm taking my talents' to welterweight
UFC middleweight Kevin Holland is making a big career change in the new year.
"In 2022, I'm taking my talents to the 170-pound division," Holland wrote Wednesday in an Instagram post.
"Trailblazer" has spent the entirety of his three years in the UFC at 185 pounds, but he's often talked about moving down to welterweight, where he competed earlier in his pro career. Holland has weighed in well under the middleweight limit for several of his UFC fights.
He recently visited the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas to figure out a plan to cut the additional weight, his manager Oren Hodak told MMA Junkie's Nolan King.
The 29-year-old was one of 2020's breakout stars, recording five straight wins, including a "Knockout of the Year" candidate against Ronaldo Souza. But he hit a slump in 2021, dropping consecutive fights to Derek Brunson and Marvin Vettori and then recording a no-contest against Kyle Daukaus.
Holland, who's ranked No. 12 in the middleweight division, holds an overall record of 8-4 (1 NC) in the UFC.
He'll join a loaded welterweight division that features Kamaru Usman, Colby Covington, and Gilbert Burns at the top, with names such as Khamzat Chimaev and Belal Muhammad rounding out the top 15.