Kevin Holland reacts to UFC 303 bout, Islam Makhachev not underestimating Dustin Poirier, Ranked welterweight discusses his future: MMA News Roundup
Welcome to today's edition of Sportskeeda's daily MMA News Roundup, where we present the biggest UFC updates and news stories from the world of mixed martial arts.
In the latest issue, A UFC star reacts to Ian Garry vs. Michael 'Venom' Page announcement, Islam Makhachev denies underestimating Dustin Poirier, and Joaquin Buckley claims he was supposed to fight at UFC 304.
#3. Kevin Holland reacts to Ian Garry vs. Michael 'Venon' Page announcement
Kevin Holland has responded in typical 'Trailblazer' style to the announcement that his former opponent, Michael 'Venom' Page, will face Ian Garry.
Dana White announced earlier this week that the two ranked welterweights are set to clash at UFC 303 on June 29 as part of the stacked International Fight Week card.
'MVP' debuted for the promotion against Holland at UFC 299, putting on a masterful striking performance that saw him get the nod via unanimous decision. Holland then took to social media to react to the fight announcement and joked that he hopes Page beats Garry worse than when he faced him. He wrote:
"🍿I hope he beat him worse [than] he did me"
Check out Kevin Holland's comments here:
#2. Islam Makhachev denies underestimating Dustin Poirier ahead of UFC 302 clash
Islam Makhachev has refuted claims that he's underestimating Dustin Poirier ahead of their lightweight title clash at UFC 302 next weekend.
Makhachev recently appeared on the Good Guy/Bad Guy podcast with Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen and stated that he doesn't believe Poirier would be able to choke him out with a guillotine. A majority of fans then perceived his comments as him downplaying the skills of 'The Diamond'.
However, Makhachev has clarified his comments during an interview with Sport24 (via Championship Rounds). According to the lightweight champion, he has been taking the fight as seriously as ever and has specifically been working on his guillotine defense. He said:
"The media made a big joke out of this that I was joking about his guillotines. No, I'm telling the truth that I think he has a pretty good guillotine... This is a big mistake... Underestimating Dustin is stupid in general. We have seen his last fight. It was the same thing. Everyone didn't give Dustin any chance... So, it's a big mistake to underestimate Dustin."
Check out Islam Makhachev's comments here:
#1. Joaquin Buckley claims he was set for a bout against a ranked opponent at UFC 304
Joaquin Buckley has outlined his plans for the future and revealed that he had been in talks about featuring at UFC 304 in Manchester against a ranked opponent.
'New Mansa' has been on a tear since moving up to 170 pounds, winning his last four bouts and now finding himself at No.11 in the division's rankings. Due to his rise, Buckley has claimed he was set for a high-profile bout for the British card in July. However, it failed to materialize.
Speaking in a recent interview with MiddleEasy, Buckley said:
"I was supposed to fight in Manchester, but the person [Page] moved on" [H/T MiddleEasy]
Check out Buckley's comments via Championship Rounds here: