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UFC Fight Night should be an exciting one, as Derek Brunson and Kevin Holland are the headliners. The main event has some serious title contentions, as Brunson is ranked seventh, and Holland 10th in the Middleweight division. It's not likely the winner receives a title shot just yet, but this can give one of them a big jump in the rankings. Read on to find out our Derek Brunson vs Kevin Holland prediction and pick.
Brunson enters the Octagon on Saturday night on a three-fight win streak. He's bounced back since suffering two losses in a row to Israel Adesanya and Jacare Souza. This is a big fight for Brunson, as it'll prove to the UFC he deserves to be a top 10 fighter in his weight class.
As for Holland, he's heading into Saturday night with a five-fight win streak, all of which happened during 2020. It felt like Holland was fighting in every card last year, especially considering his final four fights happened between August and December. He's made a name for himself quickly and hopes to jump the rankings with a win over Derek Brunson on March 20th.
Let’s take a look at the sportsbooks to see what the odds are to the main event on Saturday night.
UFC Fight Night: Derek Brunson-Kevin Holland Odds
Derek Brunson (+158)
Kevin Holland (-183)
Over 2.5 rounds (-115)
Under 2.5 rounds (-115)
How Derek Brunson Wins the Fight
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Brunson is known for being a striker, as most of his wins have been achieved via knockout. The 37-year old fighter aims to secure his ranking and continue his path to a title shot. However, facing off against Holland will be no easy task. With Holland having the height and reach advantage, Brunson may consider switching up the game plan in this one.
Typically Brunson likes to keep his distance and stay on the feet. However, while fighting someone like Kevin Holland, getting inside and dirty boxing should be apart of the game plan. He's the best grappler, so breaking Holland's defense and working the body should be the early game plan for Brunson. Wear down his opponent and pick him apart in the later rounds would be a great way to secure the win for Derek Brunson.
How Kevin Holland Wins the Fight
Kevin Holland has been electric since last year. In his last five fights, he's won three of them by knockout, one by submission, and one by split decision. His last victory came against Jacare Souza, which many thought Holland was outmatched. Instead, he used his kung-fu and was able to knock Souza out in the first round.
In comparison to Brunson, Holland is a bit more well-rounded. He likes to stand and bang, but he's more than capable of taking it to the mat when he needs to. With six wins by submission, Holland may look to take this fight to the ground to bring home the win. Look for Holland to use his reach advantage, keeping Brunson at bay while hitting him with hard jabs. However, when Holland has an opportunity, his best bet will be to take this one to the ground. If he can maintain the top, Holland will be able to secure a victory Saturday night.
Derek Brunson Vs Kevin Holland Prediction
This is a highly anticipated matchup that could go either way. Expect the fighters to start slow as they'll try to feel each other out, but by the second round, the two will likely open up their game a bit more. While they're on the feet, Brunson has a slight advantage, but considering Holland's reach advantage, Brunson may not be able to fight the way he wants to. I'm expecting Holland to take this one to the mat and keep it on the ground to win.
DEREK BRUNSON VS KEVIN HOLLAND PREDICTION: Kevin Holland wins by submission in the fourth round.
