Kevin Holland vs. Michael Page: Odds, full fight preview and prediction | UFC 299

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight kickboxers Kevin Holland and Michael Page will duel this weekend (Sat., March 9, 2024) at UFC 299 inside Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.

A lot was made about Holland’s drop to 170 pounds, how this could be just the change needed for “Trailblazer to finally tackle the title mix. As it turns out, Holland has climbed to roughly the same rank as he did at Middleweight. A ranked contender certainly, but a title shot remains out of reach. Fortunately, that leaves him open for fun and engaging match ups like the debuting Page. The long-time Bellator standout never won the title, but he scored several top-notch victories and proved himself a special talent with a penchant for highlight-reel finishes (watch them here).

Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:

Holland Vs. Page Betting Odds

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How Holland Wins

Holland wins this fight by learning lessons from the Stephen Thompson loss.

In that bout, Holland brought some creative ideas to the table, using a lot of lunging side kicks and aggressive clinch striking to counter his opponent’s excellent footwork. Those are good tactics and worked well, but it all went south when Holland both broke his hand and refused to wrestle.

Mixing up his approach will be key here. Holland has the range and power to compete with Page in his strongest area, but why choose to do so? Pursuing clinch offense and looking to catch kicks could make the fight a whole lot easier for him. Holland has a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, and it seems like making some use of it would be wise.

Holland’s top priorities may be to stay active and entertain fans, but winning is good, too.

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How Page Wins

With 13 knockouts in 21 wins, it’s no secret how Page likes to fight. He’s a dynamic kickboxer, able to spring forward and cover massive amounts of distance with heavy shots … or punish his opponents with accurate counters when they try to do the same. For years, there’s been speculation about his grappling (or lack thereof), but Page has proven himself solid enough on the floor, too.

Fortunately, Holland seems inclined to give Page the fight he desires. Unlike many past opponents, however, Holland also has the build and tools to compete with Page at range. Page cannot rely solely on length and athleticism without those usual advantages; he has to rely more on fundamentals like the jab and round kicks to start controlling the range battle.

Both of these men tend to pick their shots well and rely on shorter combinations — classic strategies of lanky and precise strikers. When the height and reach are a bit more equal, combination building becomes more important. Page has to make that adjustment, throw more in the pocket, and find his mark first to walk away the victor.

Holland vs. Page Prediction

I’m predicting Page gets his Michael Chandler vs. Dan Hooker moment here in his UFC debut.

Holland hasn’t developed much in recent years. His takedown defense has progressed, certainly, but that’s not the question this match up asks of him. In fact, of his last four performances, his best came against a grappler in Michael Chiesa! Indeed, Thompson stopped him, whereas Holland looked fairly flat against kickboxers in Jack Della Maddalena and Santiago Ponzinibbio (even if he secured the late knockout win).

Of that trio, Page is the closest in style to “Wonderboy,” and he should be able to find similar avenues to success. More than that, Holland has always relied on durability more than defense, which sounds like an iffy tactic against a man who cracks skulls.

Literally.

Prediction: Page victory (+115)

LIVE! Watch UFC 299 PPV On ESPN+ Here!

BAD BLOOD BANTAMWEIGHT TITLE REMATCH! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to Kaseya Center in Miami, Fla., on Sat., March 9, 2024, with another electric pay-per-view (PPV) card, headlined by a highly-anticipated rematch between reigning Bantamweight roost-ruler, Sean O’Malley, running it back against No. 6-ranked contender (and former conqueror), Marlon Vera. In UFC 299’s co-main event, No. 3-seeded Lightweight contender, Dustin Poirier, squares off with surging No. 12-ranked Benoit Saint Denis in an action-packed showdown scheduled for five, five-minute rounds. UFC 299 will also feature the Octagon debut of Michael “Venom” Page, as well as Gilbert Burns vs. Jack Della Maddalena and so much more!

Don’t miss a single second of EPIC face-punching action!

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 299 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 299: “O’Malley vs. Vera 2” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.