Daniel Rodriguez Survived Holland’s Rally to Win
Daniel Rodriguez defeated Kevin Holland by unanimous decision at UFC 318 on July 19, 2025. Every judge returned 29–28 after a welterweight contest at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans that featured dramatic momentum changes and knockdowns on both sides.
| Fighter | Kevin Holland | Daniel Rodriguez |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 28-13 | 19-5 |
| Height | 6’3″ | 6’1″ |
| Reach | 81″ | 74″ |
| Age | 32 | 38 |
| Gym | Travis Lutter BJJ | 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu |
The second round put Holland in deep trouble
The opening round included jabs, counters and a defended takedown before Rodriguez landed a strong late shot. Their exchanges became far more dangerous in the second.
Rodriguez hurt Holland with a counter left and dropped him twice during the round. Holland survived the follow-up attacks, attempted submissions and eventually completed a takedown of his own before the break.
Holland’s third-round attack nearly reversed the result
Holland came out aggressively and sent Rodriguez down. He pursued ground strikes and a D’Arce choke, then hurt Rodriguez again after they returned to standing.
Rodriguez found a takedown at a crucial moment and defended the subsequent submission danger. He eventually reached mount and delivered strikes, recovering enough to finish the round in an attacking position.
The early rounds carried the decision
All three judges awarded Rodriguez the first two rounds and Holland the third. That shared assessment produced an identical 29–28 total on every card.
Rodriguez extended his winning run to three after victories against Alex Morono and Santiago Ponzinibbio. Holland entered after wins over Gunnar Nelson and Vicente Luque, but his late rally could not overturn the lead Rodriguez had established.
Sources
- UFC: July 19 New Orleans event and official judges’ cards
- Cageside Press: knockdowns, submission threats, late mount and preceding wins
- MMA Decisions: each judge’s first-, second- and third-round scores
