Kevin Holland suffered 3 broken knuckles during back-and-forth war with Stephen Thompson at UFC Orlando
Kevin Holland was defeated by Stephen Thompson in the main event of UFC Orlando this weekend after his corner stopped the fight at the end of round four.
'Trailblazer' sustained a hand injury in what he stated was the first round of the fight. The injury continued to worsen as 'Wonderboy' targeted Holland's injured right hand with kicks until 'Trailblazer' was essentially fighting one-handed.
Kevin Holland took to Instagram to post a story in which he stated that he had broken three knuckles in the fight. A screenshot of the post was taken and posted on Twitter by @PhotoAmy33.
"Kevin Holland says he broke three knuckles at #UFCOrlando"
Kevin Holland says he broke 3 knuckles at #UFCOrlando https://t.co/QOwwUnHfYb
The fight was an exciting affair, and some fans felt it could be a late entry for the Fight of the Year. Both men landed powerful strikes throughout the fight, but 'Wonderboy' displayed crisper and more accurate strikes. Thompson once again showed everyone why his kickboxing record stands at 55-0.
Holland is now on the end of back-to-back defeats, and his next move is unclear. He will no doubt need time to recover from his hand injury, but given his popularity, fans will want to see him back in action as soon as possible.
Stephen Thompson's gameplan included targeting Kevin Holland's right hand
Kevin Holland is known for his slick striking and whipping punches, and despite his slender frame, he has a powerful right hand that has put more than one opponent to sleep.
During his fight with Stephen Thompson at UFC Orlando, Holland's most dangerous weapon, the straight right hand, was nullified after he broke it in round one. However, according to 'Wonderboy', he had a game plan to target Holland's backhand with kicks.
Whilst speaking to Michael Chiesa on ESPN MMA after the fight, Stephen Thompson was asked if he intentionally targeted the right hand of 'Trailblazer', to which he replied:
"100% That's why I kept right side forward pretty much the entire time. 'Cause that back left leg goes right to that right elbow every time. I was just trying to break his arm to be honest with you. If I could hit him in that arm and tired it out, maybe numb it a bit, he'd have a hard time throwing that right hand."
Watch the interview below from 1:30:
'Wonderboy' has arguably the best kicking arsenal in the entirety of MMA and displayed his skill level last night against Kevin Holland. Thompson may not have broken Holland's hand with a kick, but the outcome was the same in the end.