'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Kevin Holland is one of those fighters who will talk to their opponents while beating them down. Most famously, Dana White referred to the UFC welterweight fighter as 'Big Mouth' at the UFC 227 post-fight press conference while telling members of the media the story of how he signed Holland.
However, Dana White's comments aren't needed to understand why Holland is referred to as 'Big Mouth'. The welterweight fighter is notorious for talking to his opponents while fighting them. He doesn't necessarily trash-talk them, but instead engages in humorous banter while trying to strike or submit them.
Perhaps it's a tactic to break his opponents in the octagon or maybe it's a way of overcoming his nerves in the fight. Whatever the reason might be, it makes for some pretty interesting moments inside the Octagon.
Kevin Holland first fought for a contract against Will Santiago on Dana White's Contender Series 9 but wasn't awarded a deal despite winning his bout. White seemed pretty annoyed with Holland even though he acknowledged the Riverside-native's skills.
White said about Holland at the UFC 227 post-fight presser:
"He [Holland] was on the contender series. He was a talented guy and he won his fight, but he wouldn't shut up. [During] the entire fight, he was talking to me - the whole fight. This guy comes in, and is talking s**t [for] the entire fight. So I said: I'm not signing this guy, I don't want him, I'm not interested in him."
White went on to talk about how he ended up letting Holland fight in the UFC, saying:
"Thiago Santos' fight falls out, right? And, I said let's call some contender guys that we liked. They all turned down the fight. I said: Call 'Big Mouth'. I want to see if 'Big Mouth' takes this fight. [He] took the fight, came in and fought the fight - still talking s**t - in there with Thiago Santos, this beast!"
Catch White's remarks below:
2020: The year of Kevin Holland
Kevin Holland was relatively unknown when he joined the UFC. Prior to 2020, the welterweight fighter had a promotional record of 3-2, having last been submitted by Brendan Allen at UFC on ESPN 6.
Holland didn't fight until May of the following year, but when he did, he went on one of the most spectacular middleweight runs of all time. He amassed a five-fight win streak, including four finishes, two of which were in the first round.
His most notable victory was against Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza, who he knocked out from guard position while Souza was on top landing ground-and-pound.
With five wins in a year, Kevin Holland tied Roger Huerta and Neil Magny for the most number of UFC wins in a year.
Kevin Holland will take on No. 6-ranked welterweight Stephen Thompson in the main event of UFC on ESPN 42 at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida on December 3.
