MMA Preview – Kevin Holland vs Daniel Rodriguez at UFC on ESPN 9
THE FACTS
When is UFC on ESPN 9? Sunday 31st May, 2020 - 00:00 start (UK)
Where is UFC on ESPN 9? UFC APEX Facility, Las Vegas, Nevada
What channel is UFC on ESPN 9? BT Sport 1
Where can I stream UFC on ESPN 9? BT Sport subscribers can stream the fight online via the BT Sport website
For viewers in the United States, the event will be shown live on ESPN+ which can you sign up to here!
Are tickets still available for UFC on ESPN 9? https://www.ufc.com/tickets
THE STATISTICS
Click here for Ewan Lavender's full UFC Form Guide
THE LOWDOWN
Fresh off his stunning win at UFC on ESPN 8, Kevin Holland is straight back in the mix and takes on another tough opponent in Daniel Rodriguez.
Holland fights twice in two weeks and successive UFC events but it makes sense as it only took him 39 seconds to put Hernandez away. This was the perfect response to his last fight which was a submission loss to Brendan Allen which snapped a three-fight win streak including a submission over John Phillips and two questionable decisions over Gerald Meerschaert and Alessio Di Chirico.
Rodriguez has stormed into the UFC off the back of six straight wins and only one loss to his name. He extended his streak to seven on his UFC debut with a huge win and submission over UFC veteran Tim Means.
THE PREDICTION
Holland has amassed some valuable experience in his short UFC career and his experience last week going through all of the protocols for the coronavirus pandemic must also be helpful.
Take Rodriguez’s fight stats with a pinch of salt as they are only based off that one fight but what we do know is that he is extremely dangerous with various types of finishes in the locker and is well worth a bet as the underdog. If the weight cut down to welterweight goes smoothly, Holland will have a significant size and power advantage over Rodriguez who has fought as a lightweight. Combining his experience, he should be able to pull off his second win in two weeks.
Winner: Holland via Decision
Striking and grappling stats sourced via FightMetric.
