Kevin Holland to Face Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 318 in New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana — UFC fighter Kevin Holland has confirmed he will face Daniel Rodriguez in a welterweight bout at UFC 318, scheduled for July 19 at the Smoothie King Center. This matchup marks Holland’s fourth fight of 2025.

Holland, known as ‘Trailblazer,’ boasts a professional record of 28 wins and 13 losses, with one no contest. He is coming off two consecutive victories, including a submission win over Vicente Luque at UFC 316 where he earned a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus. The 26-year-old’s recent success has rejuvenated his career after struggling with losses in the middleweight division.

Meanwhile, Rodriguez enters this fight with a record of 19 wins and 5 losses. He briefly held a ranking in the top-15 of the welterweight division and is currently on a two-fight streak with a knockout win over veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio. Rodriguez’s last urban fight culminated in a split decision victory against Alex Morono.

The matchup between Holland and Rodriguez was initially planned for UFC 279 in 2022 but fell through due to a weigh-in incident that forced both fighters into different bouts. Despite this, expectations are high for their upcoming clash.

The main event for UFC 318 will feature a highly anticipated trilogy fight between Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway, marking Poirier’s final fight in his illustrious career.