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Michael Web page knew he had Kevin Holland overwhelmed from the very first punch.
This previous Saturday, Web page had a profitable UFC debut, successful a unanimous choice over Holland within the featured foremost card combat at UFC 299. However to listen to “MVP” inform it, the bout was determined lengthy earlier than Bruce Buffer learn out the official judges’ scorecards.
“I don’t pay an excessive amount of consideration to what individuals are saying, I extra observed his persona, his behavioral patterns,” Web page mentioned on The MMA Hour. “And lots of what he mentioned — which most likely led to him making these feedback — was he’s nervous. Like, he wasn’t very assured in himself.
“They are saying when any person is mimicking you, it’s an enormous type of flattery. Actually, once I acquired on stage, I regarded round, I used to be taking the vitality of the room in, jumped onto the dimensions, regarded over, noticed some man was waving, I grabbed my hat and threw it over to him.
“Clearly, once I’ve performed my bit, I’ve turned and walked off. I flip again round, and I’m seeing Kevin take off his sneakers and throw it to the identical individual. That copying of my conduct … mentioned to me he’s nervous. I’m in there simply being myself. I elevate the snake up, he’s grabbing my hand, or attempting to repeat me — I’m now taking you out of what you’d usually do, and also you’re extra targeted on what I’m doing. That’s nerves to me.
“I at all times say anytime individuals see me clowning round within the cage, it’s as a result of I really feel comfy. After the primary shot, I regarded into his eyes, and I mentioned, ‘This combat is mine. There’s no means you’re beating me. There’s nothing you are able to do proper now that’s going to beat me. The fact has simply kicked in.’ I at all times watch for that second, nevertheless it occurred as quickly as I hit him. [He thought,] ‘Rattling, that man is definitely quick. This man is ridiculous.’ That’s why I used to be like, let me begin clowning round now.”
Holland is not any stranger to clowning round contained in the cage. “Trailblazer” famously entered the UFC on quick discover after a Contender Sequence snub, with UFC CEO Dana White rapidly branding him “Large Mouth” for his tendency to speak throughout fights. However on Saturday, Holland was uncharacteristically quiet as he tried to resolve the pace and elegance of Web page, which Web page mentioned was all a part of the plan.
“You possibly can actually inform he was getting pissed off in there,” Web page mentioned. “He thrives off of warfare. He’s a tricky man, he thrives off of warfare. I took that away from him. I don’t get into battles. I’m a surgeon. I’m simply discovering precisely what I must. I don’t get into wars. I can. For people who noticed me within the bare-knuckle combat [against Mike Perry], they understand it. If I must dig my toes down and have a scrap, that’s in my locker as effectively, however that’s not my Plan A. That’s Plan Z.”
Now No. 13 within the UFC welterweight rankings, and with a large fan base already to his identify, the query is what comes subsequent for “MVP,” and the way distant is a title shot? Not like his former Bellator compatriot Michael Chandler, it doesn’t seem Web page will get one off of 1 combat, however “Venom” believes he’s not far off from an all-England showdown with welterweight champion Leon Edwards.
“I’d go tomorrow,” Web page mentioned. “However that’s simply me. It’s all the way down to the blokes on the high. Yet another combat simply to essentially moist my toes, then we are able to go, nevertheless it’s not my choice in any respect. I’m simply wanting to make it occur. On the similar time, perhaps it takes me just a few fights simply to construct that noise so we are able to fill out a stadium. However I feel individuals are watching, are already interested by that already. So let’s make it occur.”
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