Stephen Thompson vs Kevin Holland UFC Orlando Free Replay Part A
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Stephen Thompson and Kevin Holland, two world heavyweight strikers from the Ultimate Fighting Championship( UFC), will face off tonight( Dec. 3, 2022) at UFC Orlando's Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.

Thompson is somewhat facing the wall at this point. The 39-year-old veteran has dropped two consecutive skids, knocking him out of the Top Five at 170 pounds. Thompson must now compete with the unranked "Trailblazer" to keep from falling significantly further down the rankings. After UFC 279, it's encouraging to see Holland still have a significant opportunity. Despite the khamzat mayhem, Holland is still unbeaten at Welterweight and has received two performance bonuses.

On paper, I do not think Thompson will have many issues with this match. Holland is capable of cracking, but it's not that difficult for him to stand up. His range work is not nearly as layered as "Wonderboy," despite the fact that he shoots hard 1– 2 shots down the middle and has some deft kicks. Holland does not really have the option to switch levels and engage in combat, nor has he yet demonstrated the footwork required to locate Thompson.

Holland's speed and reach are nonetheless risky. When attempting to time his counter straights, Thompson will need to exercise caution. In a 25-minute competition, that might entail some slower early rounds, but it's not an insignificant price to pay. Through damage, Holland prevails in this conflict. Although it is a historically challenging tactic, he does need to harm "Wonderboy" in order to stop him. Fortunately, Holland is still as quick and rangy as ever, while Thompson is slightly slower than before.

The Darren Till fight is perhaps the best analogy in this situation. Holland does not need to be quite as quiet, but Till was able to have a few pivotal moments and still come up short. Thompson's signature counters wo not land as frequently if Holland waits patiently and refrains from charging forward carelessly. This changes the dynamic, causing Thompson to stay in his pocket a little longer in the hopes of landing, giving Holland an opportunity.

The tried-and-true tactic against "Wonderboy" is to play it patiently, and Holland is capable of making his shots count.

For either man, this is a difficult choice.

Thompson is still considering the title. Given his recent losses, that seems rather unlikely at the moment, but a significant main event victory might change his course. He is still highly regarded at No. 6, so maybe there's still hope? With a loss to an unranked opponent, that hope is undoubtedly dashed, and three consecutive losses could seriously spark retirement discussions.

Holland has a chance to crack the Welterweight Top 10 as well. Once more, Khamzat Chimaev should not be held accountable for his short notice and catchweight loss. He has already passed his biggest test and won three straight games if he dismisses "Wonderboy." That ought to be sufficient for another high-profile matchup, possibly against a competitor in the Top Five.