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UFC middleweight contender Derek Brunson responded to Kevin Holland's call-out on Twitter.
After a stellar 2020, surging Kevin Holland is already making plans for 2021.
Holland had himself quite the year in 2020, as he was able to record five wins inside the Octagon in just a span of eight months. Kevin Holland's most recent win was likely his most impressive, needing just under two minutes to knock out Brazilian legend Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza.
Kevin Holland's win over Jacare earned him a spot in the top 10 of the UFC middleweight rankings, and now he's looking to climb even higher by facing a higher ranked opponent. His target - Derek Brunson.
Holland already called Brunson out right after the Jacare fight, but decided to repeat his challenge on Twitter and push for a January matchup:
"Derek Brunson wants to fight me in 3 months from now. I literally fought 3x in the last three months. In January he turns 37. Let's give him a bday present on time."
Never one to shy away from a little Twitter tussle, Derek Brunson responded:
"You keep getting gifts. Fighting debuts when you're 5 fights in the UFC, old men, and a guy with a 11-7 record. Hating on Buckley because he's getting shine. You don't see Brendan Allen mentioning your name when he choked you with ease. Gotta teach you some respect."
Brunson took it even further, accusing Kevin Holland of actually wanting to back out of their potential matchup:
"Holland knows the cards are full for Jan & mostly Feb. He's trying to back out of the fight on the low. Never in my life have I seen someone talk so much and backpedal! 10 weeks til Feb 27, 11 weeks til March 6. He didn't think I'd accept. Waiting on the contract!"
Kevin Holland vs. Derek Brunson should be an interesting bout. How do you see this one playing out?
Why does Kevin Holland want to fight Derek Brunson?
Kevin Holland and Derek Brunson are involved in a little back-and-forth on Twitter, setting the stage for what could possibly be an exciting matchup in 2021.
But how did this all begin?
As it turns out, it was the surging Holland who fired the first shot, trashing Brunson's striking:
"I want to beat Derek Brunson up because I don't like the way he strikes. It just looks awkward. It's like a disrespect to striking. It's sad that he's knocked out strikers before with that weird striking," Holland told ESPN's Ariel Helwani.
If a Kevin Holland-Derek Brunson fight does get, who do you see getting his hand raised?
