Gunnar Nelson and Kevin Holland, UFC London ceremonial weigh-in Credit score: Patrick McCorry/Cageside Press
UFC welterweight Kevin Holland continued his run into two weight divisions with a date at UFC London in opposition to Gunnar Nelson on Saturday night time.
Holland (26-13) has had a tough go as of late, however it’s solely in opposition to a number of the finest at 170 and 185. He got here into the combat on a two-fight shedding skid dropping fights in opposition to Reinier de Ridder and Roman Dolidze. 1-4 in his final 5, Holland wanted a win at UFC London to stave off the dreaded 3-fight shedding streak.
Spherical 1 Holland got here out with a large stance going for leg kicks early and reaching with lead hooks and jabs. Nelson, per standard, was very affected person to start out, however with as broad a stance as Holland.
Nelson secured a takedown with the scrappy Holland going for an omaplata, however Nelson stood up carrying all of Holland’s weight. They went again to the canvas and Nelson acquired his arm free whereas trying to land injury from prime. Holland fired off punches and elbows off his again.
With beneath 30 seconds left Holland dropped Nelson with an enormous proper hand and tried to complete the combat, however ran out of time. Nelson was visibly shaky on his manner again to the nook.
Spherical 2 Holland got here out trying to land an enormous shot up prime and hope Nelson was nonetheless broken from the top of the primary spherical. Holland continued to search for that proper hand till Nelson clinched him, took him to the fence, however wasn’t in a position to take him down at that time.
Holland touchdown on Nelson with the elbows, and stops one other takedown from Nelson. It solely lasted as long as he acquired taken down with 2 minutes left within the spherical. Holland continued to throw hammers off his again with Nelson trying to management the limbs.
The spherical ended with Holland trying to land photographs in shut off his again.
Spherical 3 Nelson presumably wanted a win with Holland doing so nicely in spherical 1 and arguably successful the second spherical even with Nelson in prime place on the finish of the spherical.
Nelson ate a variety of photographs as he tried to get ahold of Holland, however as soon as he did he acquired a single leg takedown quite fast.
Nelson started to land some actual injury on Holland who did land some quite artistic heel strikes on. Nelson dropped on prime proper into an arm triangle. Nelson virtually completed the choke, however Holland discovered a method to scramble out and again to his ft.
Now it was Holland’s flip touchdown photographs on Nelson on the fence together with a nasty flying knee. Nelson shot in once more, however Holland continued to attain on Nelson with strikes. The combat went to the judges.
Official Consequence: Kevin Holland def. Gunnar Nelson by way of Unanimous Resolution (29-28×3)
