Kevin Holland will next face an opponent he would have shared the cage with years ago if it were not for Khamzat Chimaev.
Holland was among those affected by the fiasco that significantly altered the UFC 279 pay-per-view lineup in September 2022.
While ‘Trailblazer’ was a day out from his planned 180-pound catchweight contest against Daniel Rodriguez, Khamzat Chimaev’s mammoth weight miss canceled his headliner against Nate Diaz and put the card up in the air.
The UFC moved around matchups, leaving Holland to endure a quick and difficult night at T-Mobile Arena against the undefeated ‘Borz’ instead. Chimaev submitted Holland in under two and a half minutes.
Fortunately, Holland’s UFC 279 fight camp did not go to waste after all.
Kevin Holland vs Daniel Rodriguez marks late addition to UFC 318
The incredibly active welterweight was in action in Newark earlier this month. Holland submitted Vicente Luque at UFC 316 in just 63 seconds to return to the rankings.
While some might have been expecting the Californian to have another ranked opponent awaiting him next, his desire to quickly rattle off assignments has left him to defend his position at UFC 318.
At the New Orleans pay-per-view on July 19, Holland and Rodriguez will give their fight a second chance at reaching the Octagon. The welterweight matchup was first reported by @realkevink on X.
UFC 318 is set to be headlined by Dustin Poirier’s retirement fight, as ‘The Diamond’ challenges for Max Holloway’s symbolic BMF belt.
Kevin Holland on track to break his own UFC record
The booked Rodriguez bout puts Holland on track for a record-breaking year.
‘Big Mouth’ currently shares the record for the most UFC fights in a calendar year with 11 other fighters, including Chris Leben, Neil Magny, Uriah Hall, and Jessica Andrade. Holland is one of just three to have won all five of their bouts.
When it comes to the record for most wins, that ship sailed when Reinier de Ridder submitted Kevin Holland at UFC 311 in January. But the 32-year-old could separate himself from the pack if he can notch six fights in 2025.
| Fighter | Year | Division | Bouts | Wins |
| Chris Leben | 2006 | Middleweight | 5 | 3 |
| Roger Huerta | 2007 | Lightweight | 5 | 5 |
| Donald Cerrone | 2011 | Lightweight | 5 | 4 |
| Daron Cruickshank | 2014 | Lightweight | 5 | 3 |
| Neil Magny | 2014 & 2015 | Welterweight | 5 | 5 & 4 |
| Uriah Hall | 2015 | Middleweight | 5 | 3 |
| Ross Pearson | 2016 | Lightweight/Welterweight | 5 | 1 |
| Thiago Santos | 2018 | Middleweight/Light Heavyweight | 5 | 4 |
| Greg Hardy | 2019 | Heavyweight | 5 | 2 |
| Kevin Holland | 2020 | Middleweight | 5 | 5 |
| Andre Fialho | 2022 | Welterweight | 5 | 2 |
| Jessica Andrade | 2023 | Strawweight/Flyweight | 5 | 2 |
After facing Rodriguez in July, Holland will still have five more months to enter the Octagon another two times to complete another record year for the ‘Trailblazer’.