Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series is officially back in full swing, kicking off the second season of the series this past Tuesday night.

Though the expected appearance of ex-NFL player Greg Hardy portended much of evening, there were many positive takeaways from all corners of the card – one that I would argue delivered as a whole. And with UFC matchmakers showing a trend of drawing talent from past winners of Dana White’s Contender Series, I decided to take a look at the winning fighters regardless of whether or not they won a contract, grading their performances in regards to their probability of returning to a UFC stage.

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Kevin Holland

Weight class: Middleweight
Result: Kevin Holland def. Will Santiago by unanimous decision
Grade: C+

Summary: Hopefully my letter grade alone doesn’t come off as offensive, but as the biggest betting favorite on the card, Holland had some shoes to fill.

Holland, a 25-year-old talent from Fort Worth, Texas, is one of the fighters from the Dana White’s Contender Series 9 card who I was most excited to watch perform. And though the brash attitude of Holland didn’t surprise nor bother me, the lack of productive offense started to weaken his case for a contract.

In Holland’s defense, he had a deceptive challenge before him in Santiago, a heavy-handed fighter who hails from the renowned Jackson Wink MMA Academy. Generously listed at 5-foot-10, Santiago’s stout stature makes for a smaller target that responds with force. Holland was able to weather a couple of close scares before ultimately channeling his “inner-Diaz brother,” attaching open-handed slaps to his pressuring verbal assault. And in the end, Holland – who won all of his previous pro fights by way of finish – had to settle for his first decision win.

Nevertheless, I do believe that Holland made a good account for himself in his post-fight interview with Laura Sanko, smartly spinning a missed opportunity into a potential future one by offering something better his next time around. You can’t blame the 25-year-old for being so confident, and if he can show the ability to harness his skills consistently, then I would not be surprised to see Holland get an invite for a future spot on Dana White’s Contender Series or even a short-notice call-up to a bigger stage.

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