We’re so proud of our team! Find out how they’ve been doing, as well as what else has been going on at our gym lately.
Kevin Holland didn’t use much time to finish Michael Chiesa at UFC 291, but he still managed to show off his long sought-after takedown defense.
In a welterweight bout on the main card at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Holland (25-9 MMA, 12-6 UFC) cruised to victory with a D’Arce choke submission of Chiesa (16-7 MMA, 11-7 UFC) at 2:39 of Round 1.
From the opening bell, Holland came out aggressive. He moved toward Chiesa, who immediately backpedaled, seemingly uncomfortable on the feet. Chiesa took hold of Holland and attempted a takedown. Holland stuffed the attempt, and a follow-up before they separated.
At distance, Holland leaped in for a knee. While Holland said after the fight the knee didn’t land, Chiesa dropped to the canvas on all fours. Holland landed on top of his opponent and locked in a D’Arce choke – and got the tap.
After the fight, Holland revealed intentions to move back up to middleweight.
KEVIN HOLLAND BY SUBMISSION @Trailblaze2top submits Chiesa in Round 1! #UFC291 pic.twitter.com/5x3pJL3uOT
— UFC (@ufc) July 30, 2023
Holland, 30, has won back-to-back fights. In April, he knocked out Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC 287. Chiesa, 35, has now lost three in a row. Saturday’s bout was his first fight since November 2021.
Up-to-the-minute UFC 291 results include:
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 291.
“The Notorious” Conor McGregor is finally back for his long-awaited showdown against Michael Chandler. It will take place in the main event of International Fight Week’s UFC 303 in Las Vegas, the biggest MMA event of the summer. McGregor (22-6 MMA, 10-4 UFC) will compete for the first time...
Robelis Despaigne might be new to MMA and the UFC, yet he doesn’t see himself too far from fighting for the heavyweight title. The unbeaten prospect believes that in 2025 he will be challenging whoever is the UFC heavyweight champion. Despaigne (19-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) thinks a win over...
We want to make sure that Ludus MMA is the right fit for you before asking you to commit to a membership.
That’s why we’d like to offer you a FREE ONE-DAY PASS to our gym.
With your FREE PASS, you can: