UFC 316 star Kevin Holland made a household name against Joaquin Buckley.
Years before Kevin Holland and Joaquin Buckley proven themselves as two of the most dangerous hunters at the UFC schedule, they collided in a showcase match in the Apex without live spectators. Despite the ominous silence of the top during the COVID-19 Pandemie, Holland delivered a thunderous knockout that was heard all over the world.
Holland and Buckley helped when starting the promotion on a map that was introduced with UFC Ko King Derrick Lewis in August 2020. It was Buckley's long-awaited UFC debut after successful Stints in Bellator and LFA caught the attention of the matchmakers.
But it was Holland that stole the show when he and Buckley entered the Octagon.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty images
Kevin Holland told Joaquin Buckley to 'sweep his nose' just a few seconds for a stunning Ko
Holland vs. Buckley was a firefight for as long as it lasted, with both middle weights that exchanged heavy strokes over the first two rounds. The collision played out like a kickboxing match, because both hunters chose to make it a stand-up-heavy matchup.
In addition to his well -completed skills, Holland is a showman in the Octagon and is known for his high vocalization percentage in his fighting. He often tries to have full conversations with his opponents half fighting, which leads to a hilarious dialogue for viewing fans.
At the start of round 3, with the fight on the line, Holland Buckley warned to wipe his nose after he saw an annoying booger drip. Although many have seen the remark of Holland as a lack of focus against Buckley, it paved the way for one of the biggest finishes of his career.
Only a few seconds after he told Buckley to 'sweep his nose', Holland Buckley spent a little more than half a minutes in round 3 with one punch.
View Holland the finish below.
4 years ago Kevin Holland Joaquin buckleypic.twitter.com/m96in7aqdx disabled
– MMA Mania (@mmamania) 8 August 2024
Much has changed for Kevin Holland and Joaquin Buckley since their 2020 fight
Since the beating of Buckley in 2020, Holland has held fights on the middleweight and welterweight during its UFC official period. He has received various UFC fighting night cards, but has not fulfilled the first promise of his UFC stint.
Buckley has been on an opposite route since the Holland fight and has been confronted with UFC champion Welterweight Kamaru Usman in Atlanta with a potential title shot on the line. Since the full -time switch to Welterweight, Buckley has won six consecutive fights, including recent finishes by Stephen Thompson and Colby Covington.
Holland has the chance to get back on the right track this Saturday at UFC 316 against Welterweight Vicente Luque. He has lost two of his last three fights, but comes from a unanimous decision victory over Gunnar Nelson in UFC London in March.
Holland's victory over Buckley in 2020 shows that fans have to expect unexpected when looking at his fighting. Don't be surprised if Holland in Newark in Newark is still a characteristic moment.