T.J. Dillashaw is aware of what it means to be championship materials and he doesn’t see it in Kevin Holland.
Dillashaw’s harsh criticism comes within the wake of Holland shedding in lopsided style this previous Saturday at UFC 311, the place he was submitted within a spherical by Reinier de Ridder. Within the bout, Holland struggled to take care of de Ridder’s grappling earlier than finally succumbing to a rear-naked choke.
Previous to that contest, Holland had appeared on the JAXXON podcast, the place he was dismissive of his personal possibilities of profitable a UFC title. Dillashaw not too long ago appeared on the identical podcast to guage Holland’s efficiency towards de Ridder and undertaking his future.
“He’s enjoyable,” Dillashaw mentioned. “He’s entertaining, he’s enjoyable. … I heard him in right here speaking—I commented on one of many put up you guys put on the market about him not caring about being a champion, there’s an excessive amount of politics in it—like, alright dude, that’s simply an excuse since you’ll by no means be a champion. However he’s a really entertaining fighter. He talks quite a bit, however he won’t ever be a champion, I promise you that.”
Dillashaw was an elite fighter for almost all of his UFC profession, profitable the bantamweight title in simply his twelfth professional bout. After defeating Renan Barao for the belt at UFC 173, he went on to win championship fights towards Joe Soto, Barao once more, and Cody Garbrandt throughout two reigns. Nonetheless, his profession wasn’t with out controversy, as he was suspended for 2 years following a failed drug take a look at in 2019.
The principle difficulty Dillashaw has with Holland is that he doesn’t imagine the extremely lively fighter is keen to enhance his recreation, notably on the bottom the place he’s persistently outclassed.
“It’s the reality,” Dillashaw mentioned. “He has some holes in his recreation and we see it right here. He’s obtained a man that’s on prime of him and he retains making an attempt to carry him in his guard. Proper now he’s going for assaults, it’s nice, going for assaults, however when the assaults cease working, you’ve obtained to flee and get again to your toes, particularly if you’re higher in your toes. He doesn’t even attempt to put his toes on the hips and push off. You’ll see later, RDR’s above him, standing. He’s standing above him doing ground-and-pound and [Holland] is making an attempt to carry on to protect reasonably than put the toes on the hips, get house and rise up.
“In order that’s once I see, 101, doesn’t have the talents on the bottom or the mindset to get again to his toes and hold the combat in his favor.”
Although Holland seems to be pleased with signing contracts to combat anybody at any time whatever the outcomes, that doesn’t reduce it with Dillashaw, who retired from competitors in 2022. Dillashaw doesn’t assume there’s something improper with Holland being content material with the place he’s at in his profession, he simply needs it to be clear that Holland received’t evolve past that anytime quickly.
“You sat hear and let him say he doesn’t give a shit,” Dillashaw mentioned. “Are you going to be a champion in case you don’t care? No, you ain’t by no means going to be. It is advisable obsess about it each day of your life. It is advisable be OCD about coaching, about being the very best, not shedding one observe. He was speaking about bringing coaching companions in, going house, and smoking weed. Simply sitting right here listening to him speak and watching his expertise on TV, he doesn’t have the mindset for it. He’s simply blissful being on TV.”
