Kevin Holland Bio
Kevin Alan Holland, widely known by his nickname “Trailblazer,” is an American professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer. Born on November 5, 1992, in Riverside, California, he currently competes in both the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional competitor since 2015, Holland has also built experience with Bellator MMA, King of the Cage, and Legacy Fighting Alliance.
Trained out of Fort Worth, Texas, with the Phalanx MMA Academy and Travis Lutter Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Holland brings a versatile martial arts background to every fight. He holds a second-degree black belt in Kung Fu and a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, disciplines that shape his well-rounded approach inside the cage.
Early Life and Background
Kevin Alan Holland was born in Riverside, California, and was raised mostly by his grandparents in Rancho Cucamonga and Ontario. His mother has been in and out of jail, while his father has been incarcerated throughout most of Holland’s life. Despite those circumstances, Holland found structure and discipline through martial arts, beginning his training at the age of 16.
He attended Los Osos High School and later studied at Chaffey College, where he continued to develop his athletic foundation. Holland has cited Georges St-Pierre as an early inspiration and first fell in love with the UFC after watching UFC 100 while visiting his father in Philadelphia. That single experience set him on the path that would eventually lead to a professional fighting career.
Path to MMA
Holland built his foundation as an amateur, compiling an unbeaten 5-0 record before turning professional in 2015. He spent his early pro years traveling the regional circuit, fighting for promotions such as Xtreme Knockout, Legacy Fighting Championship, King of the Cage, Bellator MMA, and Legacy Fighting Alliance. By the time he reached the UFC, he had already assembled a 12-3 professional record and developed the tools needed for the sport’s biggest stage.
His opportunity arrived through Dana White’s Contender Series 9 on June 12, 2018, when he defeated Will Santiago by unanimous decision. Although that performance did not immediately earn him a contract on the broadcast, it caught the attention of UFC matchmakers. He was soon brought in to face Thiago Santos at UFC 227, marking the start of his UFC journey.
Kevin Holland Career
Early Career (2015-2018)
Across his amateur and early professional years, Holland established himself as a reliable finisher with a balanced skill set. He put together a 5-0 amateur run before debuting as a pro in 2015, and over the next three years he fought across multiple promotions to refine his craft.
Those developmental years built his durability and versatility. Working with varied rule sets, weight classes, and styles of opponents gave Holland a broad competitive base, one that prepared him for the speed and depth of competition inside the UFC.
UFC Debut and Middleweight Run (2018-2021)
Holland made his UFC debut on August 4, 2018, losing a unanimous decision to Thiago Santos at UFC 227. He quickly bounced back, submitting John Phillips via rear-naked choke in November 2018 and then earning a split-decision win over Gerald Meerschaert in March 2019. A unanimous decision win over Alessio Di Chirico at UFC Fight Night 154 followed, further establishing his place on the middleweight roster.
The year 2020 became the defining stretch of his early UFC career. Holland put together a historic run, earning Performance of the Night awards for stoppage wins over Anthony Hernandez, Joaquin Buckley, Charlie Ontiveros, and Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza. His first-round knockout of Souza at UFC 256 tied the UFC record for most wins in a calendar year with five. He also added a split-decision win over Darren Stewart and earned a Performance Fight of the Night award against Ontiveros.
In 2021, Holland stepped up on short notice against Derek Brunson at UFC on ESPN 21 and Marvin Vettori at UFC on ABC 2, both losses by unanimous decision. A bout with Kyle Daukaus was later ruled a no contest after an accidental head clash, and Holland closed the year by signing a new multi-fight deal with the UFC.
Welterweight Return and Recent Run (2022-Present)
Holland returned to the Welterweight division for the first time since 2017 and stopped Alex Oliveira in round two at UFC 272 to earn another Performance of the Night. He then submitted Tim Means via D’Arce choke at UFC on ESPN 37, claiming his fifth Performance of the Night bonus. A late-notice move at UFC 279 placed him opposite Khamzat Chimaev in a 180-pound catchweight co-main event, where he lost by first-round submission.
In late 2022, he dropped a technical knockout to Stephen Thompson at UFC on ESPN 42 in a bout that earned Fight of the Night honors, suffering three broken metacarpals that required surgery. He rebounded in 2023, knocking out Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC 287 and submitting Michael Chiesa at UFC 291 to claim a sixth Performance of the Night bonus, before a split-decision loss to Jack Della Maddalena.
Through 2024 and into 2025, Holland continued competing in both welterweight and middleweight. He lost a unanimous decision to Michael Page at UFC 299, then submitted Michał Oleksiejczuk via armbar at UFC 302. After a TKO loss to Roman Dolidze at UFC 307 and a submission loss to Reinier de Ridder at UFC 311, he earned Performance of the Night bonuses for unanimous-decision win over Gunnar Nelson at UFC Fight Night 255 and a D’Arce choke win over Vicente Luque at UFC 316. A unanimous-decision loss to Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 318 followed.
Style and Strengths
Holland fights from an orthodox stance and uses his 81-inch reach to control distance and pick opponents apart on the feet. His second-degree black belt in Kung Fu and black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu give him a balanced blend of striking and grappling. He regularly leans on his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu pedigree, with multiple D’Arce choke finishes across his UFC tenure.
Notable Events and Milestones
In 2020, Holland tied the UFC single-year wins record with five victories, capped by his first-round knockout of Ronaldo Souza at UFC 256. He has also collected multiple Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night bonuses, and in 2021 tied the record for the shortest turnaround between two UFC main events. Off the clock, Holland gained attention for intervening in a 2021 carjacking attempt in his neighborhood, helping stop a 2022 Houston restaurant shooting, and rescuing a driver from an overturned tractor-trailer in 2022.
Kevin Holland Career Wins
Kevin Alan Holland has compiled a strong professional record built on finishes and well-rounded performances. His UFC run has produced stoppage wins over established names, while his regional circuit work helped shape the durable, opportunistic style he brings into every fight.
UFC Highlights
Since joining the UFC in 2018, Holland has earned multiple Performance of the Night bonuses for victories over Anthony Hernandez, Joaquin Buckley, Charlie Ontiveros, Ronaldo Souza, Alex Oliveira, Tim Means, Michael Chiesa, Michał Oleksiejczuk, Gunnar Nelson, and Vicente Luque. His most recent UFC win came by unanimous decision over Randy Brown at UFC 327 on April 11, 2026. Earlier signature victories include a first-round knockout of Souza at UFC 256 that tied the single-year wins record.
Other Wins and Performances
Before arriving in the UFC, Holland built a 12-3 record across Bellator MMA, King of the Cage, Legacy Fighting Alliance, and Legacy Fighting Championship. He also holds a 2-1 kickboxing record with both wins coming by knockout, along with an unbeaten 5-0 amateur MMA record featuring three knockouts.
Kevin Holland Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Holland was raised primarily by his grandparents in Rancho Cucamonga and Ontario, California. His mother has been in and out of jail, and his father has been incarcerated throughout his life. That upbringing helped push him toward martial arts as a teenager, where he found structure, mentorship, and a long-term path forward.
Personal Life
Holland currently resides in Fort Worth, Texas, where he trains with the Phalanx MMA Academy. Outside of competition, he has been publicly recognized for civilian acts of intervention, including stopping an alleged carjacker in 2021 and helping subdue an armed suspect at a Houston restaurant in 2022. He also rescued a driver from an overturned tractor-trailer that same year.
2025 Season Performance
Kevin Alan Holland opened 2025 with a first-round submission loss to Reinier de Ridder at UFC 311 on January 18. He then bounced back at UFC Fight Night 255 on March 22, earning a 29-28 unanimous decision over Gunnar Nelson and a Performance of the Night bonus. At UFC 316 on June 7, he picked up another bonus with a second-round D’Arce choke of Vicente Luque.
His late 2025 stretch was less rewarding. He dropped a unanimous decision to Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 318 on July 19, then lost a unanimous decision to Mike Malott at UFC Fight Night 262 on October 18 despite taking a groin-stoppage timeout in the opening round. Across the year, Holland kept an active schedule, alternating between welterweight and middleweight bouts.
Holland closed his competitive year with a unanimous-decision win over Randy Brown at UFC 327 on April 11, 2026, reinforcing his reputation for steady activity and bonus-earning performances. He is next scheduled to face Jacobe Smith on July 18, 2026, at UFC Fight Night 281. With his training base at Phalanx MMA Academy and his versatile Kung Fu and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu pedigree, Holland remains a consistent and well-rounded presence in both the welterweight and middleweight divisions.
