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In a recent interview with Sportskeeda, UFC star Kevin Holland suggested that he’s a worried Conor McGregor fan. Holland is of the opinion that McGregor is likely to have a tough time going up against hungrier opponents.
Kevin Holland shed light upon why he believes Conor McGregor isn’t the same ‘motivated sniper McGregor’ he once was. Holland insinuated that McGregor turning into one of the most successful businessmen in combat sports proved to be his undoing, as the Notorious One isn’t as hungry as he used to be.
Holland added, however, that he would like Conor McGregor to win and go out on a high note. The Trailblazer, aka Big Mouth, also addressed a few other notable topics. Fans can read the rest of the interview here.
Upon being questioned about whether he feels Conor McGregor can rediscover his focus for the upcoming trilogy matchup against Dustin Poirier, Kevin Holland stated :
"I think he can win a trilogy belt against Poirier, and if they make it for the belt, that will be his only chance to ever get that belt again. He's talking about this elite-level competition and these guys who don't have as much as he has."
Kevin Holland continued, "These are guys are still very hungry. He can't make up for that. No matter what he does, he can't make up for that hunger. He can go back and he can avenge some losses. Yeah, he can do that. He can go out and make sure his name goes out on top. Yeah, he can do that. But to be that motivated sniper McGregor that he once was at 145lbs and then jumped up to 155lbs at the same time, it's like, somewhere down the line, he went from being that killer to being that money maker.”
Kevin Holland added, "It's okay to be a businessman, it's okay to be a moneymaker, but in this game, with four-ounce gloves, you have to be a killer. I know he tweeted 'no more Mr. Nice Guy,' but all of the fathers I ever talk to say there's something about having that daughter that does something, especially when you weren't the man you were supposed to be before you had one. So, I like Conor McGregor a whole lot; the dude is amazing. And he's bumped the pay scale as far as martial arts go. But that being said, can he beat Dustin Poirier? Yeah, he can do what he has to do to get back. The same way he did with the Nate Diaz fight. He can win another Nate fight, you know. But the hungrier the guy, the nastier it's going to be. A couple of more fun fights for Connor would be nice, but ultimately, I like to see the guy get out on top and walk away. You know, it's like, every time he's about to lose, I can hear a deep-down voice saying: 'No, Conor, no!' and then I start screaming: 'No, Conor, no!' So, it's like, go win a fight and get the f*** out of the game. I'm a Conor fan. I hate getting emotional about this s***."
Furthermore, when Kevin Holland was asked if he, too, akin to Conor McGregor, would mellow out with age, Holland emphasized that he’s not playing a role or putting on an act. Holland indicated that he is who he is, alluding that he doesn’t plan on toning down the trash talk he uses against his opponents.
Kevin Holland faces Derek Brunson, with a UFC middleweight title shot looming on the horizon
Reigning UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is coming off a unanimous decision loss in his champion vs. champion super-fight against current UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz. Adesanya came up short against Blachowicz in their UFC light heavyweight title matchup at UFC 259.
On that note, Kevin Holland has consistently asserted that he aims to win the UFC middleweight title. Kevin Holland is also no stranger to Israel Adesanya, with both fighters having taken shots at one another in the past.
The consensus in the MMA community is that Kevin Holland would move one step closer to a shot at Adesanya and the UFC middleweight title, provided that Holland defeats Derek Brunson. As of this writing, the MMA world is just hours away from the Kevin Holland vs. Derek Brunson middleweight bout that will headline tonight’s UFC Vegas 22 event.
