Kevin Holland has seen the future and there’s not a doubt in his mind that he’ll become a UFC champion at welterweight.
Although this information wasn’t available after Holland, always open-minded and outspoken, took a DeLorean trip to find where he would be in the future years, he did take a road trip to reach his destination.
According to the 29-year-old fighter, he took a psychedelic trip — long before he was getting ready to face Tim Means at UFC Austin — and he believes he saw his eventual destiny in the sport.
“I am going to be the champion,” Holland stated on The Fighter. The Writer. ” Mark my f ****** Works. I’m going to be the champ. A couple of weeks ago, I popped some [mushrooms] and had visions. I am going to be the champ. This is my first
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” This was my first experience with shrooms. They say that you can see the future. I’ve seen the future. I’m going to be the f****** champ. It’s possible. The competition was not there when I made it so it did not matter. I’m ready to go out there and do everything I’ve got to do. Put in the work, swim those extra laps, ride the bike for those extra miles. Although I don’t do running or any other type of running, it’s not something I enjoy doing. But I am getting the job done. I’m going to be that guy.”
When he first got into the UFC, Holland was better known for talking to his opponents, the UFC commentary team and just about anybody else nearby while he was putting on performances inside the octagon. Holland was also known for his willingness to take on any fight the UFC required. This helped him become one of the best fighters in the UFC.
While he doesn’t intend to discipline any aspect of his past, Holland is confident that his new division will allow him to reach greater heights than ever before.
“I’m a man of the company, no matter what they ask me to do,” Holland stated. “I keep saying it over and over again. It’s whatever. When the ranked opponents come, the ranked opponents come. Many people say I was difficult with Derek Brunson and Marvin Vettori. They’re large boys who did everything but pray for me and lay their hands on me.
“I think I’m going to have a phenomenal time no matter who it is at 170 pounds, whether they’re a great wrestler or a great striker, I think I’ll be OK.”
Holland will be ready to tell you about his inability to handle wrestling. This was something that plagued Holland towards the end his previous run at middleweight, where he lost back-to back fights and spent a lot of time lying on his stomach after having been knocked down.
There’s no shortage of grapplers at 170 pounds including reigning champion Kamaru Usman, top-ranked contender Colby Covington and fast rising star Khamzat Chimaev but Holland isn’t all that concerned about how he’ll deal with any of them when the time comes.
“I ain’t worried about none of them,” Holland said. “Superman [Khamzat Chimaev] finally looked human. Superman was finally able to look human in his fight against Gilbert Burns. This is the same man Usman knocked out by a jab. Styles make fights, and so long as you’re putting in the work, your style can be tailored for anyone in this division .”
Holland must first get past Means Saturday, while competing in Texas for the first-time in more than four years.
Holland anticipates a lively crowd in Austin and he expects the fight against Means to steal the show despite not actually serving as the headliner for the event.
“I don’t care who else is on the card, the people’s main event that night, it’s me versus Tim Means,” Holland said. “Tim Means, the OG of this game has beat a lot a guys from Texas who train from Texas. And me from California. Let’s not get confused with Ontario, Calif., Rancho Cucamonga and Ontario Hills. But back to my point. I have been living in Texas since I was 18. It’s just how it works.
“I’m going to be talking to the crowd. Tim Means is going to fight me. Big mouth’s going to be in full effect. Trailblazer will do the same thing Trailblazer does. It’s going to be a magical night.”
