UFC middleweight Kyle Daukaus says he’ll feel haunted by UFC Vegas 38 fight with Kevin Holland until a rematch happens.
Kyle Daukaus had an opportunity to earn a statement win over Kevin Holland at UFC Vegas 38, and it appeared that he was trending in that direction as he sank in the finishing choke.
But, the fight was ruled a no-contest after Daukaus and Holland clashed heads just before Daukaus sank in the fight-ending submission in the first round.
Things were going well for Daukaus leading up to the accidental clash, as he controlled his range on the feet and was able to stop Holland from generating any sort of offense. During his post-fight interview, Daukaus explained his feelings regarding the bout.
“It just annoys me. He recovered from the headbutt in a way, [referee Dan Miragliotta] didn’t say anything when it happened. If it went the other way and he finished me, he would’ve been all over SportsCenter,” Daukaus said. “It’s gonna haunt me until I get the win. It’s only more motivation for me throughout training.”
Kyle Daukaus vs. Kevin Holland was ruled a no-contest at UFC Vegas 38
After the fighters collided, Holland dropped to the canvas and appeared to be knocked out. But, he was able to recover and work back up to the feet after the referee let the fight continue.
Daukaus entered the fight as a relative unknown in the UFC middleweight division. Before his fight with Holland, he had lost two of his last three appearances against Brendan Allen and Phil Hawes.
An immediate rematch between Daukaus and Holland makes a lot of sense, but it’ll be fascinating to see what the UFC does with both fighters moving forward.