UFC: Kevin Holland rips Paulo Costa, finds it ‘funny’ Kelvin Gastelum facing Robert Whittaker
- Costa out of Whittaker fight through illness, but Holland says ‘he sucks, that’s what his problem is’
- ‘I guess one win and he’s back, but kudos to him,’ adds ‘Trailblazer’ after Gastelum steps in to face former champ
Before Kelvin Gastelum stepped in and agreed to fight Robert Whittaker next month after Paulo Costa withdrew because of illness, you can bet Kevin Holland was putting his hand up.
The No 10-ranked middleweight made a name for himself taking – and winning – short notice fights last year, and he is still down to challenge the former champ in two weeks if he beats No 7 Derek Brunson in the UFC Vegas 22 main event this weekend.
“Of course, of course, you guys know me,” Holland (21-5), who is on a five-fight win streak, told SCMP MMA. “I’m always down for the last second to step in, it’s just what I do.”
“I think it’s funny Kelvin Gastelum is getting it – I guess one win and he’s back on track,” he added. “But kudos to him, props. How they schedule it, they schedule it, But if somebody pulls a vaginal muscle, I’ll be there.”
Gastelum (17-6, one no contest) was set to challenge Whittaker (23-5) for the middleweight title at UFC 234 in January 2019, before the New Zealand-born Australian was rushed to hospital on the eve of the fight for emergency surgery on his intestine.
But the 28-year-old American slid down the rankings after losing his next three fights, before rebounding with a win against unranked Ian Heinisch (14-4), and now sits eighth in the division.