UFC middleweight Kevin Holland earned the nickname "Big Mouth" from UFC president Dana White during an appearance on Contender Series in 2018. Even in the middle of his fight against Will Santiago Jr., Holland didn't stop talking.
Since then, Holland's cockiness has gone up exponentially. The 28-year-old from Fort Worth, Texas, went 5-0 in 2020, tied for the most wins in a calendar year in UFC history. In his most recent bout, in December, Holland knocked out jiu-jitsu legend Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza with punches -- from bottom position on the mat.
To say Holland is riding high right now would be an understatement. And that confidence helps to propel him.
"I don't think people realize how big of an attribute it is," Factory X head coach Marc Montoya said of the effect unbridled confidence has on a fighter. "Right now, one of Holland's biggest attributes is he's got that championship mentality. He's like, 'It doesn't matter who's in front of me, it's just a body.'"
Holland will face the biggest test of his career Saturday when he fights Derek Brunson at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas. Brunson is a UFC stalwart whose only losses in the Octagon came against former middleweight champions or title challengers. At age 37, the Wilmington, North Carolina, fighter is nine years older than Holland. But he is no gatekeeper. Brunson, who is No. 9 in the ESPN middleweight rankings, took out top prospect Edmen Shahbazyan last August to extend his winning streak to three.
Brunson vs. Holland is a pivotal battle in the 185-pound division. Will the red-hot Holland emerge as a legitimate contender? Or will Brunson stop another surging young fighter and cement himself as a force in the weight class? ESPN asked several of the top coaches in MMA for their analysis and predictions.